The term 10 in seven refers to milking cows 10 times over the course of seven days, instead of the traditional 14 times per week in the typical twice-a-day (TAD) Irish milking routine.
The 10 in seven method has become more popular in recent years and is always discussed around this time of the year when cows are not milking as heavy and are coming to the end of their lactation.
As we progress into the autumn months and the latter end of the lactation for many herds around the country, farmers may be considering their milking options for next year.
Like once-a-day milking, 10 in seven milking is used to get cows into good condition before drying-off, and to give farmers the opportunity to take time off before milking.
Milking is the most labour demanding task on Irish dairy farms and sets the structure of the working day, as everything revolves around milking throughout the day.
With more and more labour shortages seen throughout all of the farming sector, having an attractive place to work could be the difference in getting someone on board.
10 in seven
Altering your milking frequency could provide more flexibility, which will allow for a better work/life balance.
However, it’s not as simple as merely changing over your milking frequency, as a number of factors must be considered before implementing a new strategy.
Factors like your herd’s milk production, cow health and welfare must all be considered before making any alterations to your system.
A recent study was carried out at Teagasc Moorepark which investigated two different milking scenarios.
The first scenario involved milking 10 times in seven days for the full lactation, and the second scenario was milking TAD for the first half of the lactation and then switching to 10 in seven in the second half of the lactation.
These two different milking routine were then compared to a third option, where cows were milking TAD for the full lactation.
Initial results showed that milking 10 in seven for the full lactation reduced milk yield by 10%and milk solids yield by 11%.
The most interesting finding, was that when cows were milking TAD for the first half of the lactation and switched to 10 in seven halfway through, milk production was the same as milking TAD for the full lactation.
By doing so, you are not only getting the same production, but switching to 10 in seven halfway through had positive effects in terms of labour saving, as well as saving in in water and electricity usage.
Example of a 10 in seven milking schedule compared to TAD milking, is as follows:
Mon Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun 10 in seven a.m 7 9 7 9 7 9 7 10 in seven p.m 3 3 3 TAD a.m 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 TAD p.m 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
The table above is an example of how a 10 in seven milking routine would be carried out at farm level. These milking frequencies ensure the best results for the system.
We know a change in milking frequency can help reduce labour on farms, but before you change anything, your herd’s somatic cell count (SCC) should be analysed.
Your herd’s SCC should be below 120,000 cells/ml consistently across the whole year in order to ensure a successful transition from TAD milking.