Create the perfect environment for your dairy cattle: Part 14
Milking machine systems M
ilk is a very sensitive product and can get stale and smelly within a very short time. Bad milk will be rejected by the buyer and cause serious financial losses. Milk should be treated in a very hygienic environment and the right products and accessories used to contain or handle milk should be chosen with care. Therefore, milk containers are strictly regulated. The following regulations concerning milk containers and milking machines are widely accepted in the industry: A milk container: • may not be entirely or partly manufactured of copper or an alloy of any toxic material • must be smoothly finished and be without any open seams, cracks or rust stains • must be manufactured in such a way that all levels in contact with milk are reachable for washing and disinfecting purposes • may not be used for any other purpose than for the handling of milk A milking machine must: • be manufactured in such a way that the vacuum pipe of the machine can be drained to remove all the moisture from it • be equipped with a mechanism by means of which the milk-flow from every milk animal is visible • comply with the sub-regulations regarding milk containers above
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A mass farm milk tank: • must have a direct run-off drop to the outlet point • must be equipped with an outlet pipe, manufactured and connected so that all moisture can run out of the tank, and the end of the outlet pipe must be provided with screw thread on which a screw top fits with which the end can be blocked • must be equipped with a stirring device that can mix all the milk in the tank within five minutes after setting it in operation • must be equipped with a thermometer that can indicate the temperature of the milk in such a tank to the nearest 2° C • must be equipped to cool the milk to 5° C or lower in the tank within 3 hours and to keep the cooled milk at a temperature of between 1° C and 5° C • may not be installed closer than 0,5 m to a roof, ceiling or wall • must be insulated so that when cooling does not take place, the temperature of the milk in the tank will increase by no more than 3° C when the ambient temperature is 32° C • must comply with the sub-regulation regarding milk containers A milk tanker must: • be installed with a run-off slope to the outlet pipe, so that the entire contents of the tank can drain from the outlet pipe while the vehi-
A milk tanker. cle is in a horizontal position be insulated so that the temperature of the milk in the tank will rise by no more than 2° C each 48 hours have at least one opening with a dust-tight lid through which the inside of the tank can be inspected and must be so equipped that all surfaces that come into contact with milk can be washed and disinfected comply with the sub-regulation regarding milk containers
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All apparatus used for heat treatment of milk must be provided with thermometers and thermostats which are accurate over the entire designated scale sequence to 0,5° C. In addition, mechanical temperature and time regulators must have a flow regulator valve and a flow diversion valve that automatically feeds back the milk to the balancing tank. The milk flowing
ProAgri Zambia 59
