"CLEAN" MILK.

Otago Witness, Issue 2734, 8 August 1906, Page 20

"CLEAN" MILK.

USE OP MECHANICAL MILKERS: THEIR SANITARY ADVANTAGES.

[CONTBIBUTED.] The milking machine — the increasing adoption of which is one of the progressive features of the development of the dairying industry — has many conceded advantages in addition, to that of labour-saving. A strong point in favour of the use of the mechanical -milker is that it assures cleanliness and the purity of the milk. This has been abundantly proved by Mr H W Potts, TVC.S., at the Hawkesbury 'Agricultural College, Riehmona River, New South Wales, where milking machines have been in constant use for the last four yeass. At the Government Experimental Station, "Ruakura, jnear -Auckland, where the milking machines have been in use since October, 1903, the superintendent (Mr Clifton) "gives it hie unqualified approval., in his Tpeport ho states :— " The .process of* millriilgo is • effected incomparably more cleanly. The average quantity of milk -is fully maintained; stripping is no more necessary than in hand-milking. It effects a great economy in the number of milkers and general cost of labour. It will assure a safe investment of capital in the further development of dairying. Finally, it is effective, economical; and clean, and any dairy farmer with a herd of 50 cows should certainlj instal a milking machine plant." JThe question of cleansing the rubberware is one that la engaging attention, and at a recent dairy conference held in Melbourne the subject came under discussion, and Dr Cherry. the scientific dmonetrator to ' the ' Department of Agriculture, stated that the "effect of the machines on the" quality of the milk was simply owing to the relative ease with "which a machine could be kept clean in comparison -with hand-milking. A complaint had been made about "the milk coming from a dairy in the Western district, where machines were in use, and upon investigation it was found to be due to the tubes not being properly cleansed. Practically the whole danger, from the .butter factory manager's view, depended on the care taken in cleaning out the cups and tubes. They should be thoroughly washed out with a plentiful supply of water. In the case in question he had recommended a solution of washing soda and -water very nearly at boiling point. This remedied the evil. Some specimens of indiarubber would not stand boiling water ; ' others would. It might cost a little at first to get' thg right indiarubber.

John Glaister, M.D., D.P.H. (Carab.), F.R.S.E., etc., Professor of Forensic Medicine and Public Health in the University of Glasgow, etc., writeß in the North British Agriculturist on March 15, 1905, as follows:— "I feel it to be my duty to write regarding my impressions of the value of the machine from a health point of view. My knowledge of the merits of the machine and apparatus is the result of -visits paid to farms for the express purpose of watching critically the working of the apparatus, and of forming an opinion as to its value and fitness in the production of ' clean' milk. I may say that I have made it my business to become acquainted with "the work -of milking machines, and to a certain extent I am thus able to make comparisons. Dr Freeman, in the Medical Record of March, 1896, has recorded the results of an experiment in this direction. He exposed three culture plaires of exactly like size and condition — the first in the open air, the second inside a cowshed, and "the third immediately in front of the pail into which the_ milk of a cow being drawn, each being exposed for two minutes. From the plate exposed in the open air cix colonies of microbes grew ; from that exposed within the shed -111 colonies, and from the third (exposed under the belly of the cow) 1800 colonieß developed, thus showing that tl^ continuous movement of the hand and fingers of the milker on ordinarily dirty teats was causative of the frreat excess in number of microbes which fell into the milk."

From what is written above it will be seen that I have been much interested in any invention which will secure for consumption in towns milk of the cleanest, am] therefore, best-keeping, qualities. The modern milking machine, when worked according 1 to the conditions prescribed, is calculated to secure this want, and it is secured in the .following manner: — Before milking the cows the udder and teats must be carefully cleansed with warm water ; thereafter the cups of the machine are attached to the teats of the animal, »nd the milk, by -reason of the pulsating action of the apparatus imparted to the inner lining 1 of the cups, is drawn ■from the udder after Ihe' fashion of a calf sucking naturally. It is important to understand that in the machine the sucking or extracting action is not continuous in operation, but the suction movement is alfornatfd with a brief interrrl of relief, so that no undue action can be exercised on the toatn to the iniurr of tltase or of the udder.

The proof oi; this is visible to the onlooker by the cairn -placidity -af the* animal under the suction -of -the apparatus: she stands perfectly quiet, and chews the cud as if nothing wjas . happening. For the same reason" it is impossible to injure the animal even if the is .kept on the teats after the animal las ceased to give milk; , -but to avoid -even the' slightest risk, the tubes from ;the teats /to the- jnilking caa are fitted with <; .sight" tubes of glass let into the rubber- <t*bes. The milk f»il, 'being part of the suction apparatus, is cut off from the surrounding air. and consequently no microbes can enter itf or mingle with the milk during the operation of milking. • - . ' * — After the milking of ithec herd 4.5 completed, thewfoßows the sterilisation of the apparatus employed — viz.« 4he tubes, the cups, and the cans. .This, is an^« all-im-portant part of the process, Vtor without it the milk next drawn would, be r werse than by ordinary hand-rafilking^ -4Pft»vis Idon© very simply by utilising: the action of the vacuum. The apparatus attached to the vacuum tube from the engine is placed in water from a tap, which has been raised to a high temperature by steam injected 1 into it by a nozzle attached to the steam engine. In this way the whole parts are sterilised and prepared against Hie next time of milking. 'JJrom the point of view of public health, and especially in relation to jjtxre supplies .ef milk, I -am bound to say that the modem machine seems to me to seoure the objects desired by the sanitarian.