AN UP-TO-DATE DAIRY FARM.

Otago Witness, Issue 2924, 30 March 1910, Page 20

AN UP-TO-DATE DAIRY FARM.

(See Illustrations.! Since the dairying, industry first commenced in Winton and the surrounding district the farmers have steadily supported it, until now, as a dairying centre, it is only second to Edendale, and some splendid dairy herds and plants can be seen. One of the latest plants has recently been installed on Mr Duncan King's prettily situated farm at The Bend, near Winton, and is now milking a herd over 100 strong. A splendid stream of water runs alongside the road fence past the homestead, and by the side of this Mr King has built a concrete byre 100 ft long by 30ft wide and 20ft high to the eaves. The top of this is utilised as a barn in which thousands of bags of grain could be stored safe from fire "or the ravages of vermin. The ground floor has been fitted with 22 double stalls, with a novel arrangement for closing the bail immediately two cows enter it. This is on a lever system, and is manipulated from the outer.posts of the stalls, the idea being one of Mr King's own. The floor is concrete throughout, and down either side of the centre gullies have been made for carrying the manure away from stalls. These can be flushed with water, which has' been laid on at convenient intervals the full length of the byre. Down the centre of the passage iron rails have been laid, and on these a trolley for the milk is moved up and down as required. From the. gutters a glazed sanitary 9in piped drain takes the liquid manure away to an underground well some distance from the byre. This well is fitted with a pump, by means of "which the manure is lifted into a specially constructed cart, and thus spread over any part of the farm. The milking machine is one of Smaill's, whose machines, it will be remembered, received the oaly award given to milking machines ■ last year. Mauy good features are claimed for this machine, the foremost Of all being its extreme simplicity It has also the recommendations of being effective, cheap, and very easily cleaned — an all-important feature in a milking machine. The pulsators can be cut off when not required, 'so that there is only the minimum number required at work, and, unlike all other makes, it has neither a valve nor washer attached to it. Magnamalium cylinders to the teat-cups make them strong yet remarkably light, and the inflations are merely short lengths of rubber tubing open at both ends.' A very simple arrangement

in the top of the can prevents the milk spray Jrom getting ..into the vacuum tubes arid pipes, and so prevents the uncleanness which often arises from this cause. The whole of the plant, milking machinery, water and manure pumps are driven by a portable engine, housed in an adjoining building. One pump lifts water to a high level tank, from which the necessary pressure "is obtained, and another fills a long concrp.ee drintting. trough in the yard. Adjoining the engine shed is a compartment for the storage of the milking machines, fitted with a large wooden wash tube for the cans with cold and hot water and , steam pipes leading to it. The yards leading to the byre ' have been so. \r:ranged that the herd can be drafted as lequired. At the time of our representative's visit a fine herd of over 100 cows was being milked, and it was very evident from their quiet and contented manner that machine-milking was in no way objectionable to them. Mr Smaill, jun., the patentee of the plant, was present at the time, and he said that the byre and its appointments were the most convenient and up to date he had seen in the Dominion, not excluding any in the North Island.