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→How the milk machine works
# Effective parlour washing and cooling of the milk in order to prevent the build up of bacteria
# Effective parlour washing and cooling of the milk in order to prevent the build up of bacteria
==How the milk machine works==
==How the Milk Machine Works==
The milk machine works by having a collapsible '''liner''' within a solid '''pulsation chamber'''. The liner forms a seal at the top of the teat and connects with the '''short milk tube''' to deliver milk to the '''claw piece''' of the '''cluster'''. Via the '''short pulsation tube''', the pulsation chamber has an alternating vacuum/atmospheric air delivered which causes the milk liner to open and close beneath the level of the teat. When vacuum is present within the pulsation chamber, there is an equal pressure with that in the short milk tube, which has a constant vacuum supply to facilitate movement of milk away from the udder. The equal pressures means the liner is open and milk is drawn out. Conversely when atmospheric air is introduced into the pulsation chamber, the pressure differential causes the liner to collapse and the teat no longer to be exposed to the vacuum. This allows blood flow to return to the teat necessary to prevent teat damage and is called the '''massage phase'''. A constant vacuum applied to the teat, as in the early parlour designs, causes a vast amount of soft tissue trauma which would cause untold levels of mastitis.
The milk machine works by having a collapsible '''liner''' within a solid '''pulsation chamber'''. The liner forms a seal at the top of the teat and connects with the '''short milk tube''' to deliver milk to the '''claw piece''' of the '''cluster'''. Via the '''short pulsation tube''', the pulsation chamber has an alternating vacuum/atmospheric air delivered which causes the milk liner to open and close beneath the level of the teat. When vacuum is present within the pulsation chamber, there is an equal pressure with that in the short milk tube, which has a constant vacuum supply to facilitate movement of milk away from the udder. The equal pressures means the liner is open and milk is drawn out. Conversely when atmospheric air is introduced into the pulsation chamber, the pressure differential causes the liner to collapse and the teat no longer to be exposed to the vacuum. This allows blood flow to return to the teat necessary to prevent teat damage and is called the '''massage phase'''. A constant vacuum applied to the teat, as in the early parlour designs, causes a vast amount of soft tissue trauma which would cause untold levels of mastitis.
Most parlours are fitted with Automatic Cluster Removal apparatus. The milk machine detects when the milk flow rate falls to a pre-set “take-off” level (usually between 200 and 400 ml/minute). When this occurs, this triggers a cord to be retracted which is attached to the claw piece of the cluster. This pulls the cluster off the cow.
Most parlours are fitted with Automatic Cluster Removal apparatus. The milk machine detects when the milk flow rate falls to a pre-set “take-off” level (usually between 200 and 400 ml/minute). When this occurs, this triggers a cord to be retracted which is attached to the claw piece of the cluster. This pulls the cluster off the cow.
The advantages of the ACR is the prevention of over milking (which can cause teat damage and thus increased mastitis levels) and time efficiency for the parlour operator. However it must be remembered that the prevention of over milking is dependent on the take-off setting and therefore over milking can still be a problem in herds using ACRs. The disadvantages of using ACRs are that there may be more of a delay between milking and [[Post-Milking Teat Disinfection (PMTD)|post milking teat disinfection]], and occasionally premature cluster take-off will occur such as when bimodal milk flow is a problem.
The advantages of the ACR is the prevention of over milking (which can cause teat damage and thus increased mastitis levels) and time efficiency for the parlour operator. However it must be remembered that the prevention of over milking is dependent on the take-off setting and therefore over milking can still be a problem in herds using ACRs. The disadvantages of using ACRs are that there may be more of a delay between milking and [[Post-Milking Teat Disinfection (PMTD)|post milking teat disinfection]], and occasionally premature cluster take-off will occur such as when bimodal milk flow is a problem.
==Parlour washing==
==Parlour washing==