Dairy farming has undergone several changes and this article is going to focus on the slant from traditional methods of milking to the modern-day norms. The use of milking machines has been embraced by most farmers in the country and to the orb at large. This transition has created massive gains in the dairy farming sector
Milking machinery works by correlating the technology of vacuumized milking buckets. The cups placed on the cow’s teats alternate between normal and vacuum pressure to extract milk from the adder.
There occurs a variety of milking machines and they include the rotary type, herringbone type, tandem type, and rapid exit type.
Herringbone type
This is the most known type of milking machinery. In this case, the cows enter into the machinery in batches and line up with varying angles depending on the type of herringbone machinery i.e 50° and 32° herringbone. The herringbone type is approved for herds of all sizes.
Rotary type
This milking parlour is specified for large herds and can be deemed as a continuous herringbone type.
Tandem type
This milking parlor can host an average of 80 cows and consists of lined stalls where cows enter one by one. Once a cow is milked, another one enters the stall.
Rapid-exit type
Here the cows are positioned perpendicularly to the pit and then milked from the rear. This parlor type is used for large herds.
When deciding on the appropriate milking machine for cows price Kenya, it’s clear that your selection will depend on the size of the herd and how the machinery is connected to the adder which is determined by the domain you hold.
The functionality of milking machinery
The milking machinery has several sub-systems that aid in its functionality. They include the claw piece, pulsating system, milk measuring system, transport system, vacuum system, and cleaning system.
First of all, the teatcups are enclosed in the cow’s teats. Afterwards, the claw piece squeezes and sucks the cow’s teats to release milk. The action of the claw piece is enabled by a pulsator(pulsating system).
Milk flows from the claw piece and collects in a milk glass. The milk glass has a measuring index that reaches a maximum of 32 liters. Progressed milking systems have a flow measuring device that conveys electronic readings of the proportion of milk. Milk tallying helps the farmers track the level of production from their dairy cattle.
The milking machine also has an automatic release system. This ensures that after a cow has emptied its udder, the claw piece and teatcups are automatically expelled and heaved from the udder. This ensures that the cow’s udder is not injured or damaged after milk has run out from it.
The transport system simply relays the milk from the milk glass via stainless steel tubes away from the milking zone.
The low-pressure zone of the air system (vacuum ) consists of a vacuum reservoir, a vacuum pump, and a vacuum regulator. For a constant vacuum supply, the vacuum pump size and capacity should be large enough to provide the right pressure level.
The cleaning system cleans up the milking machine after the milking. The system uses warm and cold water to clean and rinse the whole milking system. The use of an acid or alkaline solution can be utilized for cleaning too.
Advantages of milking machine
The milking machine has many benefits to a dairy farmer. The milking machine saves time during the milking process. After purchasing a milking machine, the labor expenses are sure to be reduced. This is because the dependency on skilled farmworkers for milking is lessened. The milking machine takes over most of the work with enormous efficiency prior to human labor.
Milking machines employ good milking routines that are more relaxing to the cows hence instances of damaged udders are slim. This leads to an increase in the quality and quantity of milk production.
The milking machine is also convenient to farmers who aspire to rear large herds of dairy cattle.
Basing from this manuscript, it’s apparent that the milking machine is of great value to dairy farmers. Cow milking machine price ranges from distinct expectations and retailers. Most of the machines go for affordable prices and any dairy farmer willing to acquire one has an upper hand to a successful dairy farm.
