MILKING MACHINE NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2738, 5 September 1906, Page 20

MILKING MACH INE NOTES.

An authority on milking machines states that he would not give a brass farthing fcr any man's opinion of a machine unless that man had pei=onally milked the cows night and morning for at least two years. Even if the first year is successfully negotiated, it is neceseary to eloeely watch during the fcecond year to see that there is no injury done the cow. or that her milk yield and batter test is not diminished. Time alone is th-e test of what the machine is worth.

To give «ome idea as to_ what can be saved by adopting the milking machine, a well-known dairy farmer of Taranaki instances a case of a 60-cow dairy which ho was working on shares on the handmilking sj^stenj, the cost of which run into £235 a year. By using two machines, one man docs tho whole work, and the total c< st of wage", interest, depreciation, repaiss. t-tc-., amount to £132, showing a .sii\u:g of £IC3. or £1 86 6d per cow per an::um. That these figures are in no way exceptional is borne out by the experience of other well-kno.vn men.

As - milking outfits can be installed to opr'iate on either a small or large number of cows at a price well within the reach of all, and seeing that machine-milking is fraught with 6ueli wonderful possibilities fcr Ui£ .Icvelopment of the dairying industry it bch*o\cs New Zealand farmers to give the matter their careful consideration, as to lag behind when other countries are rapidly adopting th ; s laboursaving appliance puts them at a serious disadvantage To keep abreast with the times and nake tbr be^t possible u»e and profit out of tbeir herdo and pastures, dairymen nrist adopt the most modern and up-to-date method*.

T'-i» kb.vr c?T3n«ct*d with ruling is so i r 'Jii ij" aril eoi.«i*yt. iLnt vl.cn any hitch occurs farmers arc placed in a veiy awkw.nd position Hence, thousands of farmers do lj^t d*iry bryond a fractional part of th">r capacity. The milkiiig machine, wlmh h.Ti proved such a success on many dairy fauns in Australia and New Zealand, \\i'i r< mo-Jy thi s , an d there is nothing more certain than that it will soon come into general use, particularly as small outfit*!,

capable of milking 25 to 16 cows per hour. with a lad doing the work, can be installed at a price wiihin the reach of all.