Skin temperature changes of the cow mammary gland and the heat flux from its surface before and after milking.

Abstract

The studies were aimed at determining the udder skin temperature and heat flux from its surface 30 min before and 20 min after milking. It was carried out on 8 cows in 3-4 week of lactation, kept in a tying stall. After milking the udder skin temperature increased (0.93 degree C on the lobes and 0.76 degree C on the teats), whereas the heat flux depended on where it was measured. After milking the mammary gland became more sensitive to microclimatic conditions compared with the condition before milking, which was manifest in the increasing correlation coefficient r. The correlation pertained more to the skin temperature of the mammary gland than to the heat flux from its surface.