Knowledge Centre
Practical guidance from our technicians on equipment selection, milk quality, maintenance and value addition.
Match the number of clusters to your herd and milking window: a portable single unit suits up to about 10 cows, a double unit up to 25, and beyond that a parlour saves far more labour than it costs. Check your power supply and vacuum pump capacity before deciding.
Automation gives consistent pulsation, faster milking, lower labour costs and better udder health because the machine does not over-milk. It also produces records you can use to spot a drop in yield early.
Milk should be cooled to around 4°C within two hours of milking. Size the tank to your largest single collection, keep the agitator running as designed, and never add warm milk to already-cooled milk without checking tank capacity.
Replace rubber liners on schedule — worn liners slow milking and hurt udder health. Check vacuum levels and pulsation rates regularly, clean filters, and keep a preventive maintenance visit on the calendar.
Rinse immediately after milking, then use the correct alkaline and acid cycles. Most contamination problems start with lukewarm water, tired liners or hoses that were never fully dried.
Keep the milking area dry, clean teats before attaching clusters, discard the first squirts, and filter milk before it enters the tank. Cooling quickly is the last line of defence, not the first.
Start with a machine and a cooling plan, then add capacity. Farmers who upgrade in stages — machine, then cooling, then parlour — usually finance each step from the savings of the last.
Pasteurising is the gateway to yoghurt, cream, cheese and milk vending. Each product needs its own equipment and handling, but they all start with reliable pasteurisation and cold storage.
Every farm is different. Book an assessment and we will give you specific recommendations.
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