Article: The machine will need to be running for a few minutes before you begin milking the cow, in order to build pressure. Use this time to secure your cow and wash and dry her udder. This process is known as “stripping,” and, in addition to encouraging milk to flow from the cow’s teats, will squirt out any dirt or bacteria that has built up in the cow’s teat. Consequently, the milk produced from stripping should not be squirted into the bucket, or it may contaminate the rest of the milk. Let it fall onto the ground. As soon as you release the pressure buildup on the milking machine, suction begins. As quickly as possible, place each suction cup over one of the cow’s four teats. As the milk begins to flow from the teats into the suction device, adjust the devices so that they hang straight down from the udder.   Some cows lift their back leg and kick over the bucket or knock off the suction devices. Keep the handle positioned so you can grab the bucket should she decide to kick the bucket. For this reason as well you should do your best to monitor and not walk away from the cows when they are being milked. Wait until the machine draws all of the milk out of the udder, which will become flaccid. All cows are a little different, but most will be fully milked out within 5 minutes.  Due to udder differences or teat structural problems, some cows will take more than 7 minutes to be fully milked. Keep an eye on the milking device, and make sure that milk is still flowing. As soon as milk stops flowing, remove the device. Then remove the suction devices from the teats. The order is important: if you try to remove the milking device while suction is still on, you risk causing pain to the cow and damaging the sensitive tissue around her teats.   Many modern milking machines do not require the person milking the cow to manually remove the suction cups. Once one quarter has been milked dry, they automatically fall off, one by one. Be careful not to trip over the milking machine’s tubes or wires as you move around the milking area. Cows’ teats are vulnerable to bacteria and infection immediately after having been milked and should be cleaned and protected. The most efficient method of protecting a cow’s teats is to apply a post-milking disinfectant. This dark, thick liquid coats each of the cow’s four teats and prevents bacteria from entering. Cows often like to eat after they’ve been milked, so provide the cow with fresh grass or hay.

What is a summary?
Turn on the milking machine. Hand-milk each teat a few times to let down the milk. Release the machine’s pressure and place each suction device on each teat. Leave the milking device on for 5–7 minutes. Turn off the device’s suction. Clean the cow’s udder.