On many farms, the milking machine has been silent for a few weeks now, but it won’t be long before they are in action once again.
The milking machine/parlour is the most important piece of equipment on dairy farms, being used up to 365 days of the year.
With the first cows due in just a few weeks, ensuring that your milking machine is ready is important.
Milking machine
Before calving begins and the milking parlour is once again in use, you should get the milking machine serviced. Also, ensure that any damaged or worn parts are replaced.
A drop in temperature over the past couple of weeks could have had a negative affect on the parlour, so you should complete an inspection on all the piping and rubber tubes in the milking machine/parlour over the coming days.
The following parts of the machine should be checked:
- The vacuum – should be a maximum of 48 kilopascal (kPa);
- The liners, which should be changed every 2,000 milkings;
- The short pulse tubes and long milk tubes for cracks and wear and tear;
- The claw bowl seals and shut-off valve seals – and replace as necessary;
- The claw bowls for cracks or chips.
Any damaged or worn parts should be replaced now in preparation for spring calving.
It is also a good idea to have a number of spare parts present in the yard that can be used when required.
Having these parts to hand can stop a small issue from becoming a major one.
Some of spare parts you should ensure you have include claw bowls, pulsation tubes, milk line tubes, automatic cluster remove (ACRs) cord or line, liners and vacuum pump oil and belts.
It is unlikely you will get through the 2024 lactation without some issue or breakdown, but having these spare parts may mean that whatever it is only results in a short delay.
Bulk tank
When servicing or replacing parts on the milking machine, it is also important that you ensure that your bulk tank is ready for the season ahead.
Depending on the manufacture of the tank, there may be different service requirements, and there are a number of key areas that need to be checked.
You should replace the chemical pipes and detergent pump tubes, along with all flexible pipes, rubber pipes/hoses.
You should also inspect the seals on the tank and replace if required.
The wash pump should be check and serviced, water filters checked and cleaned and the condensing unit serviced.
A hot caustic wash should be done directly after service is completed and a calibration of detergents carried out.