TEAT AND UDDER SUPPORT FOR DAIRY COWS

Abstract: Teat- and udder support for dairy cows, comprising a protector (1) destined to be positioned on the udder and the teats and a bandage (2-5) connected thereto, destined to keep the protector under the cow, whereby the protector and preferably the bandage consist of very elastic sheet-­ shaped textile material.

Description: Teat- and udder support for diary cows. The invention relates to a teat- and udder support for diary cows comprising a protector of mesh-shaped material, destined to be put about the udder and the teats, and a bandage connected thereto destined to keep the prdector below the cow. Such a teat- and udder support is known from Dutch Patent Specification 125,773. Here the protector comprises wide-gauge material that is not or substantially not elastic and that as a pre-shaped cup is put about the udder. As far as this cup closely fits to the udder in case this is filled with milk, this certainly is not the case after milking, when the udder is much smaller. In that case the teats suspend freely in the cup. A lot of diary cows have leaking teats as a result of the fact that the sphincter previously is damaged by treading. In consequence of this the milk may run out of the udder in the period between milking times and the cup may be soiled with milk. Moreover, this means loss of milk and requires slaughtering of the cow. Further the fairly rigid cup even increases the chance of damaging the sphincter, because of the fact that the fairly rigid yarns of the wide-gauge material act as knives upon the teats, certainly in case the cow lies and is trodden. A further disadvantage of this fairly rigid cup is, that different dimensions and measures have to be used to obtain at least an adaption to the shape in case the udder is filled. With empty or half-empty udder there is always free space present between cup and udder with all objections thereof. Moreover, during milking the cup has to be removed from the udder by disconnecting the connections with the bandage comprising leather strings to get admission to the teats. In order to obtain a correct fitting in practice the buckles of the bandage are pulled very strongly with as result the development of abraded spots on the skin of the cow. By this the cow is not feeling comfortable and this results in a lower food intake and so a lower production of milk. The invention aims to avoid the disadvantages of the known device and this is obtained by the fact that the protector consists of a very elastic sheet-shaped textile material that is destined to be tensioned about the udder and the teats. With very elastic is meant elastic like rubber. A textile material is used which can be compared with elastic dressings. It is self-evident that the material used for the support according to the invention has to stand-up against lactic acid, against desinfectants, that are used to clean the teats before milking and against stale and dung, so that the material has to be formed out of special raw materials. By the use of a very elastic material the tensioned protector always fits strongly against the udder and the teats, so in full as well as in empty condition of the udder. The teats in that case are bent against the udder, so that also in case a teat is leaking no loss of milk occurs. Preferably the protector consists of a very elastic knitting. By the application of the knitting technic a product may be obtained that is very elastic in all directions. By preferably using tube-shaped very elastic knitting a double-walled flat product is formed. Preferably the strings form a knitted unit with the protector, so these are also very elastic. However, it is also possible to use separate very elastic strings, which are fixed to or passed through the protector. When milking the cow the protector easily can be pushed aside without loosening buckles and such. By the elasticity of the protector this becomes a number of times per day wide-gauge and small-gauge. Possibly caked soil-dust that has become hard, in this way is removed by breaking loose. The bandage has to fit as convenient as possible about the cow in which strong bends have to be avoided as much as possible and also have to be avoided that other cows with their legs hook behind the strings, for instance in case the cows cover each other. By the high elasticity of the bandage the complete support fits all everywhere. The invention will be further elucidated with the aid of the drawing, in which an example is shown. Fig. 1 and 2 show a lower view and a side view respectively of the protector of the teat- and udder support according to the invention in its tensioned state. Fig. 3 is a schematically top view of a cow, provided with such a support and Fig. 4 shows a side view of the backside of a cow provided with such a support. The support according to the invention comprises a very elastic, sheet-shaped and mesh-shaped textile material preferably obtained by knitting technics. The yarn material from which the support is knitted, not only has to be very elastic, but moreover has to resist lactic acid, desinfectants, that are used to clean the udder and the teats before milking and agressive materials, that are present in dung and stale. Such yarn material can be obtained commercially or has to be specially made. Although in any case the protector, so part 1, that during use is present about the udder and the teats, has to be very elastic it is preferred to perform also the strings 2, 3, 4 and 5 very elastically. These strings in that case can be provided as a unit with the protector by knitting. It is preferred that the protector 1 is knitted as a tube which is also the case with the strings 2-5. During use the protector 1 and its strings 2-5 so are double-walled. No chance is present of ravelling-out. As appears from fig. 1 and 3 the protector 1 in the tensioned state is smaller at the back side than at the front side. The flat tube here is shaped as a trapezium with the strings 2-5 connected to the corners. These strings may have a much greater length than shown, in practice a plurality of mutually connected elastic string parts can be used. In fig. 3 and 4 a possibility is shown for the leading of the strings about the cow, in which an auxiliary string 6 is used. This is only one possibility. It is of importance, that the protector 1 fits the udders both in full and in empty condition, in which the teats are flatly pressed against the udder. By this, loss of milk and soiling of the protector by milk is avoided, also in case the milk seal in the teat does not function anymore. By the elasticity and the softness of the strings no damaging of the skin occurs, which otherwise should result in the not-comfortable feeling of the cow and so in a lower feed intake and thus a lower milk production. It is self-evident that at some place preferably adjustable connections are present. With the positioning of the belt as shown strong bends are avoided, while the hind-quarter at the upper side does not have strings. This is of importance with covering cows, for otherwise the front legs of the covering cow could be hooked behind the strings. The support always remains fixedly at its place, also in case the cow lies down. By the fact that the protector and the strings comprise a mesh-shaped textile material a good ventilation remains garanteed. By the high elasticity of the material of the protector and the strings the teats can be freed easily before milking out of the protector without loosening connections such as buckles. Eventually it can be considered to provide the protector at the position of the teats with small valves that after milking can be closed again with "velcro"-tape or such. This embodiment is not shown. It is not necessary to perform the strings as a unit with the protector, but they also can be connected thereto with "velcro"-tape, hooks, buckles or such connections or are stitched thereto. It is also possible to perform the protector out of a very elastic flat tube and to extend the elastic bandage freely therethrough. Both strings are lying than in tensioned position against both longitudinal edges of the flat tube. The protector also may comprise two flat tubes that are connected to each other along two adjacent side edges. The strings in this case may form the extension of these smaller flat tubes, are connected thereto or extend freely thereto. The protector and/or the strings can be formed on a circular knitting machine or a flat knitting machine. By periodically taking during knitting of the strings another colour for the weft yarns coloured cross paths are formed and axial tension changes can be remarked visually by changing the distance between the coloured cross paths. These axial changes of the tension can be removed by displacing the strings. By tensioning some strings stronger or looser, the level of the tension can be adapted. In case a diary cattle farmer has already other bandages, it is eventually possible to connect the protector thereto. Claims

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Teat- and udder support for diary cows, comprising a protector of mesh-shaped material, that is destined to be positioned on the udder and the teats and a bandage connected thereto, destined to keep the protector under the cow, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the protector consists of a very elastic sheet-shaped textile material, destined to be tensioned on the udder and the teats. 2. Teat- and udder support according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the protector consists of a very elastic knitting. 3. Teat- and udder support according to claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r i z ed in that the protector consists of a tube-shaped elastic knitting. 4. Teat- or udder support according to one or more of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the strings of the bandage each consist of very elastic material connected to the protector. 5. Teat- and udder support according to claim 4, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the strings of the bandage each consist of a very elastic knitting. 6. Teat- and udder support according to claim 5, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the strings each consists of a tube-shaped very elastic knitting. 7. Teat- and udder support according to one or more of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that in the knitting of the strings coloured weft yarns are used.

Inventors: DETMERS, HERMAN
Applicants: ALFA-LAVAL AGRI B.V.
Application year: 1984
Main classification: A01K13
IPC codes: A01K13