fejés

Fejés is the act of milking, the extraction of milk from the mammary glands of dairy animals, primarily cows, but also goats and sheep. In Hungarian agriculture, fejés is central to dairy farming and can be performed manually or with mechanical equipment. The practice requires attention to animal welfare, udder health, and milk quality.

Manual milking involves washing hands and teats, cleaning the udder, and stripping milk from each teat to check for abnormalities. After milk flow begins, milk is collected in a bucket or pail and then transferred to a bulk tank. Hygiene is essential throughout, and teats are typically treated with a post-milking disinfectant to reduce infection risk. Milking frequency varies by herd management and can be twice or three times daily.

Mechanical milking uses a milking parlor or mobile system. A vacuum pump creates suction through pulsating teat cups that attach to each teat, drawing milk through a milk line to a collection vessel and onward to a bulk tank. Modern systems may include automatic cluster removal, in-line sensors, cooling, and data recording. Cleaning and maintenance of equipment are critical to prevent contamination and mastitis.

Robotic milking systems automate the attachment and removal of teat cups, monitor milk yield and cow health, and can operate continuously with minimal human intervention. These systems are increasingly common on larger dairies and require upfront investment and ongoing maintenance.

Quality and welfare considerations include udder health monitoring, mastitis prevention, proper hygiene during milking, appropriate milking frequency, and effective post-milking teat treatment. Proper fejés practices support milk quality, yield, and animal well-being.