• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
• /
• v.30 no.3 s.110
• /
• pp.179-184
• /
• 2005

The purpose of this study was the development of teat-cup attachment module for robot milking system. The teat-cups attachment module was controlled on the two dimensional space independently, Each teat cup of an end effector was independently controlled via two axis control based on the position information data obtained from the image processing system. This system was developed install of all 4 teat cups at the same time after adjusting positions of each teat sequentially. The individual motion system was operated using two servo motors for the high speed of teat position adjustment. The errors fur the individual motion system of teat cups were maximum 1.0mm, minimum 0.0mm, and average 0.6mm. The operating time for adjusting the teat cups position required about 1.0 second. It is envisaged that teat cups attachment module can be applicate to milking robot being developed in consideration of the experiment results for the teat cups operation accuracy and the actuation speed of servo motors.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
• /
• v.60 no.4
• /
• pp.16.1-16.11
• /
• 2018

Background: In their first days of life, dairy calves in artificial rearing systems often have difficulty using an artificial teat for feeding. Methods: We examined the age at which calves are able to stand up voluntarily and suckle as well as their suckling behavior when presented with a plain dry teat versus a dry teat modified with a presumably attractive odor or taste substance. Single-housed newborn dairy calves (n = 51) were presented for ten consecutive days with a two-minute two-choice test, in which suckling time was recorded for 1) a plain (control) teat versus a glucose-coated teat (taste test) and 2) a plain teat versus a teat with a "Freshly Cut Grass" odor (odor test). Results: On average, the calves were able to stand up voluntarily and suckle from the second or third day of age on. The "Freshly Cut Grass" odor had no significant effect on their suckling behavior. In contrast, the calves showed a significant preference for suckling the glucose-coated teat and displayed a significantly longer total suckling time in the taste test compared to the odor test. There were no significant differences between sexes regarding suckling behavior. Conclusion: The results of the present study show that glucose had a significant effect on the calves' teat preference and significantly increased total suckling time with a dry artificial teat. As such, glucose may increase suckling motivation in non-efficient drinkers or ill calves with low motivation to suckle.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
• /
• v.44 no.1
• /
• pp.143-150
• /
• 2004

This study was conducted to analyze the relationship between the occurrence of mastitis and the conformation of udders, teats, and teat tips of Holstein cows raised in Korea. Udders, teats, and teat tips were categorized by their conformation and the teat length, teat diameter and the distance from the tip of teat to the ground of 259 cows were measured. The most common shapes of udder, teats and teat tip were milking machine udder (27.4%), U-shaped teats (53.9%) and disk teat tip (53.8%), respectively. Mean teat length and diameters were 4.78 cm and 3.11 cm, respectively. The length and the diameter of front teats were significantly longer and wider than those of rear teats. However, the distance of the tip of teats to the ground was similar between front teats $(50.5{\pm}7.51cm)$ and rear teats $(50.7{\pm}8.83cm)$. The average daily milk yield was 26.4 kg/day, and the highest milk yield was observed from cows with large udder shape and above 4th lactation.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
• /
• v.24 no.2
• /
• pp.201-207
• /
• 2007

The teat cup liner compounds with improved physical property were developed using tri-polymer blend of natural rubber(NR), ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber(EPDM) and butyl rubber, and the changes of the physical properties of compounds were measured under various conditions such as standard, thermal, alkaline detergent and acid solutions aging conditions. The hardness of the new teat cup liner compound 1 was 50 and that of the compound 2 was 51 under standard condition. The tensile strength and elongation of the new compound 1 were $154kgf/cm^2$ and 675% under the standard condition, respectively. Also, those of the new compound 2 were 180 kgf/cm and 634% under the same condition. Their hardness were increased about $2{\sim}6%$ and the tensile strength and elongation were decreased about 10% under the $25^{\circ}C$ water and detergent solutions. Even though the new teat cup liner compounds exhibited so much decreased tensile properties under the $105^{\circ}C$ thermal aged condition, they sustained more stable aged physical properties including tensile strength and elongation than those of imported teat cup liner materials. Consequently, the new teat cup liner compounds would give prolonged lift cycle if they are used as a teat cup liner product.

• Journal of Animal Environmental Science
• /
• v.6 no.2
• /
• pp.105-112
• /
• 2000

The objective of this study was to determine the teat locations and to develop a teat cup handling system operated by a robot. The results of this study were summarized as follows: 1. The teat cup attaching and detaching operation system developed in this study consists of a control computer, a five-dimensional robot(PERFORMER-MK2), a DC servo gripper, a robot controller, two CCD-cameras (WV-vp410), an image grabber board(DT3153), a model cow, and a teat cup unit. 2. The coordinates of teat locations were measured by a stereo image processing unit. The error ranges of teats coordinates measured were (x, y, z) = (0.83, 1.95, 0.81) mm. When those were transferred into the Robot Coordinate System(RCS) coordinate, the total error ranges measured were x = 0.9 mm, y = 2.0 mm, z = 0.9 mm. 3. The rates of success of teat cup attaching and detaching operation by a robot system were 91.5% on average; the operation time needed were 27.8 sec. Total working hours for the teat cup handling including image processing were 86.1 sec.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
• /
• v.24 no.2
• /
• pp.172-176
• /
• 2007

The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between udder and teat characteristics and somatic cell count (SCC). A total of 749 (73.1%) milk samples from 1,024 quarters of 259 Holstein cows contained less than 200,000 somatic cells/ml, while 132 (12.9%) quarters contained more than 500,000 somatic cells/ml. Prior to data analysis, somatic cell counts were transformed to natural logarithm. The mean SCS {$log_e(SCS/10^3)$} of milk samples from the front quarters was lower than milk samples from the rear quarters. The highest SCS was observed from cows with the step-shaped udder and the pear-shaped teats, respectively. Increased SCS was observed from cows with large teat diameter, short teat length, short distance between the teat tip to floor (p<0.05) and with increase in parity, respectively.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
• /
• v.31 no.4
• /
• pp.313-318
• /
• 2016

The aim of this study was to identify quantitative trait loci (QTLs) influencing teat number traits in an $F_2$ intercross between Landrace and Korean native pigs (KNP). Three teat number traits (left;right;and total) were measured in 1105 $F_2$ progeny. All experimental animals were genotyped with 173 informative microsatellite markers located throughout the pig genome. We detect that seven chromosomes harbored QTLs for teat number traits: genome regions on SSC1;3;7;8;10;11;and 13. Six of fourteen identified QTL reached genome-wide significance. In SSC7;we identified a major QTL affecting total teat number that accounted for 5.6 % of the phenotypic variance;which was the highest test statistic (F-ratio = 61.1 under the additive model;nominal $P=1.3{\times}10^{-14}$) observed in this study. In this region;QTL for left and right teat number were also detected with genome-wide significance. With exception of the QTL in SSC10;the allele from KNP in all 6 identified QTLs was associated with decreased phenotypic values. In conclusion;our study identified both previously reported and novel QTL affecting teat number traits. These results can play an important role in determining the genetic structure underlying the variation of teat number in pigs.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
• /
• v.21 no.2
• /
• pp.151-159
• /
• 1981

An investigation on various causes of milking disturbances resulting from injuries and abnormalities of mammary system were made in 2,179 Holstein cows. To perform this investigation, 69 dairy farms of the suburban area of Seoul city, Gyeonggi-do and Chungnam provinces were andomly selected and subjected. Diagnosis was made by means of inspection and palpation of teat, insertion of teat canula, checking milk machines, anamneses and farm records. This investigation was, actively done from March 1977 to February 1979, The results obtained were summerized as follows; 1. It was found that 446 cows, accounting for 20.48% of 2,179 cows inspected, had supernumerary teats. Among them 53.59% had one, 43.72% had two, 2.47% had three, and 0.22% had four supernumerary teats, respectively. 2. Dry off quarters were found in 158 quarters which turned out to be 1.8% of 8,716 quarters inspected. Among dry off quarters, 62.02% seemed to be caused by mastitis, 30.37% by acquired teat obstructions, and 7.59% by congenital blind teats and glands respectively. 3. Teat sphincter stenosis was found in 154 teats of 50 cows, which represents 1.76% of 8,716 teats and 2.29% of 2,179 cows inspected, respectively. Among 154 teats with teat sphincter stenosis, 138 teats (85.7%) of 33 cows were found to be congenital and revealed highest incidence. 4. Loose sphincter was found in 78 teats of 36 cows, which figure 0.89% of 8,7l6 teats and 1.69% of 2,179 cows inspected, respectively. Among 78 teats with loose sphincter, 52 teats (66.66%) of 13 cows were found to be congenital and revealed highest incidence. 5. Injured teat tip caused by over milking of milk machine, was found in 229 teats of 156 cows, which figure 2.63% of 8,716 teats and 7.15% of 2,179 cows observed, respectively. 6. Other miscellaneous injuries and congenital abnormalities of teats and udders were diagnosed as follows: The teat laceration was found in 34 teats (0.39% of 8,716 teats), fissure of teat skin in 24 teats (0.28% of 8,716 teats), stricture of teat cistern in 21 teats (0.24% of 8,716 teats), teat fistula in 12 teats (0.14% of 8,716 teats), papillomas on testes in 8 teats (0.09% of 8,716 teats). Knothole orifice in 7 teats (0.08% of 8,716 teats), subcutaneous abscess of udder in 5 quarters (0.05% of 8,716 teats), membraneous obstruction of teat cistern in 4 teats (0.05% of 8,716 teats), and congenital short teat in 8 teats (0.09% of 8,716 teats), respectively.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.17 no.9
• /
• pp.1210-1213
• /
• 2004

Quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping can be applied to detect chromosomal locations that control economic traits in farm animals. Teat number has been considered as one of the most important factors to evaluate mothering ability of sow. Especially, teat number is more important when the number is less than the litter size. This study was conducted to identify QTL affecting teat number in the Korean native pig${\times}$Landrace resource family. A total of 240 animals was genotyped for 132 polymorphic microsatellites covering the 18 pig autosomes. Mean and standard deviation of teat number in $F_2$animals is 13.46${\pm}$1.40. QTL was analyzed using F2 QTL Analysis Servlet of QTL express. A QTL for teat number on SSC9 was significant at the 1% chromosome-wide level and three suggestive QTL were detected on SSC3, 7 and 14. All QTL detected in this study had additive effect and Landrace alleles were associated with higher teat number in comparison with Korean native pig for three of four QTL.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.14 no.7
• /
• pp.910-914
• /
• 2001

The teat number of a sow plays an important role for weaning pigs and has been utilized in selection of swine breeding stock. Various linear models have been employed for genetic analyses of teat number although the teat number can be considered as a count trait. Theoretically, Poisson error mixed models are more appropriate for count traits than Normal error mixed models. In this study, the two models were compared by analyzing data simulated with Poisson error. Considering the mean square errors and correlation coefficients between observed and fitted values, the Poisson generalized linear mixed model (PGLMM) fit the data better than the Normal error mixed model. Also these two models were applied to analyzing teat numbers in four breeds of swine (Landrace, Yorkshire, crossbred of Landrace and Yorkshire, crossbred of Landrace, Yorkshire, and Chinese indigenous Min pig) collected in China. However, when analyzed with the field data, the Normal error mixed model, on the contrary, fit better for all the breeds than the PGLMM. The results from both simulated and field data indicate that teat numbers of swine might not have variance equal to mean and thus not have a Poisson distribution.