How to Improve Your Herringbone Milking Routine — Boost Efficiency with Small Changes

Running a herringbone dairy efficiently can make a big difference — not just for your profits, but for your cows’ health, your team’s satisfaction, and your routines’ smooth flow. The swing-over herringbone is the most popular dairy design(with 69% of dairy farms employing it), and many farmers find they can make significant improvements with simple tweaks — often at little or no additional cost.

Why Shorter Milking Benefit Everyone

Getting cows through faster reduces waiting, cuts down on stress, prevents lameness and mastitis, and lets your team wrap up their routines more efficiently. Making small but purposeful adjustments to your process can pay big rewards across your herd, team, and bottom line.

Creating a More Efficient Milking Routine

While routines will vary from dairy to dairy, the following practices are recognized as key elements for a well-run herringbone milking routine:

✅ Start cupping promptly : Don’t wait for all cows to row up — start cupping as soon as the first batch is in place. 

✅ Target cupping within 30 seconds : Aim to cup the first cow in the row within 30 seconds of her entering, while the adjacent one is finishing.

✅ Adopt an efficient cupping technique : Work in batches of 5–10 cows, starting at the exit side of the pit and progressing forward. 

✅ Avoid backtracking : Don’t leave cows to come back to or wait for them to finish — implement MaxT (Maximum Time) Milking instead. 

✅ Release the herd efficiently : Open the head gate once 50–75% of clusters are removed, allowing cows to move forward while you complete the rest of the row. 

✅ Move the backing gate frequently : Move it little by little to keep up with the herd and avoid gaps in their flow. 

✅ Stay in the pit : Limit unnecessary walking — this saves time and prevents bottlenecks. 

✅ Consider hose usage carefully : Avoid hoisting under cows while clusters are attached. This can slow down flow, spray dirty water toward teats, and compromise herd health.

✅ Release meal after row is loaded : This further streamlines routines and maintains flow.

✅ Organize controls for ease of use : Consider relocating controls for the backing gate, head gate, or other equipment to minimize needless movement.

Efficiency Troubleshooting

If you’re experiencing delays:

• Start by evaluating your milking duration :
  If clusters are removed with no milk visible or automated clusters detach before you reach them, it's a sign your routines may need fine-tuning.
• Analyse your routines :
  Consider where you’re waiting or backtracking — these are opportunities for improvement.

Summary

Some of the most significant gains come from routines that:

✅ Eliminate idle waiting

✅ Reduce the distance walked by the milker

✅ Allow for the earliest possible opening of the exit gate

Control Point Adjustment

Relocating controls — whether it's the backing gate or head gate — can further reduce walking, cut down waiting, and maximize throughput. While adding a new gate might be a bigger investment, it's often well worth it for long-term routines.

Making small tweaks and following a consistent routine can produce big rewards — for your cows’ health, for your team’s happiness, and for your bottom line.

for more information visit delmergroup.com