CARE OF THE MILKING MACHINE

Manawatu Times, Volume LII, Issue 3538, 21 February 1927, Page 11

CARE OF THE MILKING MACHINE

In theory, cream from machinemilking should be better than cream from hand-milking. In practice it rarely is, but only (in most cases) because of lack of care or knowledge. Machine-milking'in the dairying Industry .-has come to stay, and care on the farmer’s part will result in a cream equally as good as can be produced by hand. It is almost unnecessary to state that the first and greatest cause of Inferior quality is poor methods of washing the machines. Plenty of water is absolutely essential if wash-ing-up is to bo done thoroughly, for the. machines require four; or ftve times the quantity of water that is necessary when cows are milked by hand. . ... . It is only too evident that most farmers know very little of the proper care .of the '.rubber-parts of machines. As a'rule, any metal parts are fairly well looked after. The farmer like* to keep the milk line "like a gun’ barrel.’" Ho will give the vacuum line, vacuum tank, releaser, etc,, reasonable attention, but usually where he fails is in lo ekmg after the rubbers. These rubbers are th e vital parts of the machine as far as the quality of cream goes, and any neglect there is instantly reflected in tho cream. , . Various conditions and substances have tho effect of destroying rubber. Oils or fatty matter and acids are two of the commonest enemies to it. Both are found in milk, and therefore at is absolutely necessary to remove from the rubbers all traces of milk, which should never on any account-be allowed to become dry on tho various parts. Air, light and heat have the effect of perishing and cracking rubber, and once this occurs with milking machine parts they should be discarded, for good cream cannot then be produced. _ Formalin is preferable to nme when used in water for Immersing tne rubber parts and teat cups, Bime always discolours the metal iparts of the teat cup. and in. the case .of aluminium cups'will entirely blacken thorn, as well as causing a pitting ip the metal itself. lame-wash causes a. sliminess both inside _ and outside the rubbers and when this is very pronounced it requires cleaning off prior to using the machines. Any water remaining in the machines after immersion in formalin-treated water is very easily removed from the interior of the machine tubing and piping by merely sucking some scalding water through them before use. ■ ■ ■: