O'Callaghan, Edmond JGleeson, David E2017-08-142017-08-142000-11-01O'Callaghan, E.J., Gleeson, D.E., Evaluation of Milking Systems in Terms of Mastitis Risk, Teat Tissue Reactions & Milking Performance, End of Project Reports, Teagasc, 2000.http://hdl.handle.net/11019/1403End of Project ReportsMeasurements of milking vacuum recorded on a flow simulator can provide guidelines for optimum design of milking units. • Increasing the bore of the short milk tube above the recommended diameter or claw volume above 150ml does not improve milking efficiency. • Increasing the long milk-tube bore from 13.5mm to 16mm increased the level of milking vacuum. • The milking vacuum was highest with wide-bore tapered liners and simultaneous pulsation. • The minimum vacuum was increased with narrow-bore liners and alternate pulsation. • The milk yield with wide-bore tapered liners in heavy 3-kg clusters and using simultaneous pulsation was 5% higher than with light clusters (1.65 kg) with alternate pulsation. • The milk yield depressions obtained with light clusters were similar in short and long term experiments and increased with the magnitude of the milk yield per milking. • The teat condition scores were not affected by the magnitude of vacuum fluctuations.enmilking systemsmastitis riskteat tissue conditionmilk yieldcell countTechnical Report4505