USE OF MILKING MACHINES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14930, 1 March 1912, Page 10

USE OF MILKING MACHINES.

AN AUSTRALIAN OPINION. When the cost of labour is a prominent item affecting the; expansion and economic success of the dairying industry, the question of the efficacy of the milking machine I suggests itself. * The experience of Mr. J. G. McMillan (manager of the Wollongbar Experimental Farm' and formerly Dairy Inspector, Hawkesbury :" Agricultural -.'i Collego) regardiag mechanical means for milking cows should be of value. Eight years of a tost with milking machines entitles Mr. McMilliarie 'opinions to respr.ci, During that lime he noted the main -joints associated with the use of machines—namely, their general efficiency continuous milking with the machines, '< as \ affecting period of lactation; quantity -of milk; quality of milk as regards fat and other solids and subsequent lactations influence of the machine upon the health of the cows as regards mammary, or .udder, troubles; influence of the machine on the flavour and keeping quality of milk,-cream, and butter, and cheese•' economy of the machines compared with • hand-milkmg. • The conclusions arrived Vat' were :—l. That machine ': milking by a capable operator >j is as i successful ,as .tho V best average hand-milking.;'2. That the flow of milk is r hot', decreased when machine-milking is substituted for hand-milking ; except .in isolated cases, i 3. That the period of lac- : tation 'ia not shortened. 4.. That eubequent periods of lactation are not adverse- '■ ly affected. 5. ~°( That the composition of • the milk, as regards solids is not lowered. ' 6. That cows are no more subject to udder : troubles than when milked by hand, if ■ ' machines are properly cared for. 7. That ! the milk is cleaner and purer if the ma- ] ±iuep are kept as they should be. ■ 8. ( That machine milking is cheaper than by t band. ; , ■■•••' j - j

It ; is strongly advised that in working ' milking machines , the owner of the dairy ] or some interested person should be in ! control, ■ otherwise the best ; results will -not be ! obtained. A dairyman should be exteremely cautious in allowing inventors of new machines to experiment upon his sows. . . , % The general rule; where milking machines i U3ed is to work.them about nine or -< -en months^ only in* the year. Practical 1 laiiymen consider it is hardly worth while a o work the machines when the cows are ( lrying off. < - • ■

iTfto cost of running a two-machine plant . for the milking period, -with an oil engine ;as power, is about' Is 4d per day in the busiest season. ~ When steam is "used the cost is much about the same where wood is cheap; but where ' there is . a scarcity of fuel the oil engino ie generally found the cheaper, and, in addition, there is no time lost in getting up steam in the morning. On the other hand, there, is a disadvantage, because a heating; .plant for producing , boiler water hi required, and this is provided, with the- steam >boiler. ■}. The cost of a two-machine plant, including vacuum pump, boiler, engine etc., will be from £170 to £180.,: An oil engine plant, together with a ■ small '.boiler ; for generating etcam for cleansing purposes, will cost about the same. 1; jy, - • ..: ? Taking these and sundry other costs into account there is a saving of 10s to 12s as a minimum ', estimate in , the cost of : milking a cow in a- season, in favour of the I milking machine when compared V with I hand-milking. There is the' difficulty, too, of getting reliable hand labour when I most required. .:,,-... .-'-.■?.• •■■■/. With a doublo milking machine a good man). can milk 16 to 18 cows in full milk per hour; and in the' later stages of lactation from 20 to 24 per hour. ~. v• \ ■ With a two-machine plant one man attends to the machines, and another man ! or boy bails up tho cows, gets -them ready for the machine, and does tho stripping. 7lt is best to have two eete of double bails for. every machine where the doublemachine is used, and much' time •■ is «aved