Caustic Better Than Washing Soda

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 69, Issue 5, 15 November 1944, Page 419

Caustic Better Than Washing Soda

By

J. M. KRISTENSEN,

Farm Dairy Instructor, Inglewood.

TRIALS were recently carried out in the milking shed of Mr. J. Bell, Junction Road, Inglewood, to ascertain the effect on the inflations of different cleaning methods. A complete set of new grey MB soft inflations was fitted to the milking machine, which has four sets of teatcups, and to identify the inflations they were marked in large letters with ink pencil before fitting into the cups. Those for the first set of cups were lettered lA, 18, IC, ID, and for the second, 2A, 28, and so on. Arrangements were made for Mr. Bell to clean the different sets of cups in different ways. Group 1. Group 1 was cleaned as recommended in the Dairy Division’s Bulletin No. 118— is, a liberal flushing through the cups of cold water, followed by at least one gallon of boiling water containing caustic soda at the rate of one heaped teaspoonful per four gallons, and finally another gallon of boiling water. This treatment was carried out TWICE DAILY after milking. Group 2. Group 2 was treated similarly to group 1 in the morning, but in the evening the use of caustic soda was omitted, the flushing being done with cold water followed by boiling water only.

Group 3. Group 3 was cleaned in the morning with caustic soda similar to groups 1 and 2, but in the evenings after flushing with cold water the solution which followed consisted of a gallon of boiling water in which • was dissolved about half a handful of washing soda. This was finally flushed out with another gallon of boiling water. Group 4. Group 4 was cleaned both morning and evening with a washing soda solution as used in the evenings for group 3that is, cold water rinse first, then washing soda and boiling water, then finally boiling water rinse. These cleaning methods were applied to the machine for nearly four months from August 2 until November 20, during which time the herd consisted of 35 cows. The inflations were then removed from the teat cups and dried, and each was carefully weighed. The length was also measured, as well as the diameter of the bulged portion which had developed at the part where it squeezed the cow’s teats. The inflations were then kept as hot as possible (about 200 deg. F.) for three and a half hours in a strong solution of caustic soda, four teaspoons in two quarts of water, according to the method recommended by Dr. Moir (see “Journal of Agriculture,” September, 1943). This method of extracting fat from the inflations is several thousand times as intense as the usual daily cleaning procedure because the caustic solution is so very much stronger and it is applied for hours instead of for a short period of about a minute. After removal from this strong caustic solution the inflations were thoroughly rinsed with very hot water to wash-off the butterfat soap which was produced. They were then allowed to dry before the final weighing and measuring. \ Results of Trials. The results given in the 1 table show that the weight of fat extracted from the Group 1 inflations is definitely the lowest of all. From Group 2 the average amount is a shade higher

than for Group 3, while from Group 4 most of all was extracted. In fact, the use of washing soda twice daily instead of caustic soda allowed • the inflations to absorb twice as much fat. Washing soda is nearly two-thirds water, but even when a liberal amount is used, it does not provide a strong enough cleanser. The results show that the cleaning with caustic soda TWICE DAILY as applied to Group 1 was much the most efficient way to check the absorption of fat left on the surface of the rubber after milking. The subsequent strong caustic treatment, besides extracting these weights of fat, also reduced the size of the inflations. Taking average figures, the Group 1 inflations were reduced in length by a shade more than onesixteenth of an inch; Group 2 by twosixteenths; Group 3 by a little more than two-sixteenths; while Group 4 was shortened by between three- and -sixteenths. The bulge which had developed where the inflations squeezed the cow’s teat was on the average reduced in the case of Group 1 by between two- and three-sixteenths of an inch; in Group 2 by five-sixteenths; in Group 3 by between three- and foursixteenths; and in Group 4 by nearly four-sixteenths. These results demonstrate clearly that the absorption of fat by the inflations is the cause of their increasing in length and circumference so that they become slack and do not milk as quickly or as efficiently. More than 20 years of experience have shown that the best way to keep the inflations and other parts of a milking machine in good hygienic condition is to apply TWICE DAILY the caustic - soda - and - boiling - water method which is recommended in the Dairy Division’s Bulletin No. 118. The conclusion to be drawn from the trial described is that this method is also the best to ensure that the inflations will give long and efficient use.

Smooth, efficient milking is not possible with a machine which is faulty mechanically, and. today, : with the difficulty in getting skilled servicemen, the farmer himself has a further duty to undertake. “The Care of Milking Machines,” Bulletin No. 207, is available free from offices of the Department of Agriculture, and offers to practical farmers hints on the kind of attention that will ensure smooth running of the milking machine. ,

Before After Reducment. After Treatment. Grams. Reduction. 1A .. 41.03 39.30 1.73 IB .. 41.05 39.50 1.55 1C . . 41.45 39.70 1.75 ID .. 42.20 40.80 1.40 Average: 1.40 1.61 2A .. 41.70 39.00 2.70 2B . . 41.65 39.01 2.64 2C .. 42.50 40.05 2.45 2D . . 41.50 39.03 2.47 Average: 2.47 2.57 3A . . 41.35 39.04 2.31 3B . . 41.47 39.00 2.47 3C . . 41.35 39.02 2.33 3D .. 41.00 39.00 2.00 Average: 2.00 2.28 4A .. 42.20 -' 39.03 3.70 4B . . 42.09 39.07 3.02 4C . . 42.12 39.06 3.06 4D . . 42.18 39.04 3.14 Average: 3.14 3.23

WEIGHTS (GRAMS) OF FAT EXTRACTED FROM INFLATIONS BY STRONG CAUSTIC SODA.