Pipeline Milking Research Articles

Studies on the Use of Permanent Milk Pipelines in Dairy Barns II. Milk Quality as Affected by Types of Installation and Sanitation Procedures

Studies on the Use of Permanent Milk Pipelines in Dairy Barns II. Milk Quality as Affected by Types of Installation and Sanitation Procedures

LOOSE HOUSING FOR DAIRY CATTLE

Proven favorable to housing for high producing dairy cows, cold loose housing at the Wisconsin Station has shown the way to specialized dairy farming in the Midwest. This system allows free, active cows to wait on themselves and bring the milk to the elevated stall milking parlor. Here the operator quickly and effectively milks his cows with the aid of a cleaned in place milk pipeline which carries the milk to the refrigerated bulk tank in the milk room. Success requires careful planning, a workable layout, effective equipment and an operator willing to adjust himself and his hard management practices to his new system of housing.

Studies on the Use of Permanent Milk Pipelines in Dairy Barns. I. Effect of Different Types of Installation on Milk Quality

Summary Four different systems of milking and milk-handling at the farm were compared, including an open-combine system, a closed-combine system, a conventional machine milking system and a cow-to-cooler combine milker installed in a stanchion-type barn. The cow-to-cooler system involved delivery of the milk through a pipeline 200 ft. long which was cleaned throughout the study without dismantling. Bacteriological analyses covered a period of 7 mo. and involved 484 observations. The results indicate that milk of acceptable quality can be produced by use of any one of these systems.However, personnel may be an important factor in the production of quality milk using the cow-to-cooler system cleaned in place. Variations in outside temperatures had very little effect on the bacterial count when the milk was cooled within 30 minutes. When cooling was delayed until the conclusion of the entire milking chore, there was a tendency toward a higher bacterial count when higher outside temperatures prevailed.

REGULATORY ASPECTS OF PERMANENT MILKING MACHINE PIPE-LINE INSTALLATIONS

In the past. we have discouraged “in-place” washing and sterilizing of permanent pipe-line milking machines. However, it is being successfully done, and the installation of such equipment is rapidly increasing in California.Several problems have resulted from “in-place” washing and sterilizing of pipe-line milking machines which need to be controlled. With this object in view, regulations governing the installation and operation based upon an investigation of the problems are being adopted.