In phase two of the liner study, Cornell researchers switched two herds from round liners to square liners. (Two other matched herds continued to use the same type of liners and served as controls.) According to Ynte Schukken, Quality Milk Production Services, Cornell University, they consistently found a slight advantage to square liners throughout the study. Results show that square liners:
Have a significantly better teat-end score when compared to round liners. (20 percent fewer cracks in teat ends and a 0.5-point drop in keratinization score.)
Helped improve teat-end health in herds that switched from round to square liners in about three months.
In addition, earlier studies using milk-flow patterns during milking showed a more “gentle” milk-flow curve for square liners.