Problems Associated with Production Testing and Pipeline Milkers

Abstract

A survey in North Carolina in 1954 showed that 7.5% of the farms producing Grade A milk were using pipeline milkers. This number had increased to 18% early in 1957. This trend is probably even greater in smne of the other states. The development of the pipeline milker for the stanchion barn as well as for the milking parlor is a step toward greater labor efficiency and milking convemence in our modern dai ry farms. From all indications, the use of the pipeline milker is going to continue to grow. While the pipeline milker is making the job of milking cows easier, it is creating new problems in other areas. This system of milking cows does not lend itself to easy weighing and sampling of each cow's milk, which is so necessary for production testing. Consequently, many dairymen are struggling with the decision either of making their job easier by ignoring some of the recommended management aids, such as production records, or, o£ using a system for milking that is not as convenient, requiring more labor to enable them to keep production records. Fo r more than half a century, the keeping of production records on individual cows has been recognized as a desirable practice for the improvement of our dai ry cattle. At the present, it is fast becoming a requirement in dairy herd management, if dairy farmers are to improve their average production per cow and maintain a level of production that will help them compete with the many costs now associated with dairy farming. But production testing is not being practiced on many dairy farms as yet, for one reason or another. And now the development of the pipeline milker, t ransport ing milk direct from the cow to the bulk tank, has become another reason to prevent some dairymen from keeping production records. Should this be a serious disadvantage to keeping production records on individual cows ? P i p e l i n e Nl:ilkers vs. P r o d u c t i o n Records