In the 21st century, many large farms are gradually switching to machine milking because it requires less labor and produces milk of higher quality than hand milking. Farmers do not consider the installation of milking machines necessary because most dairy farmers have small livestock sizes and cheap labor.
Reading this article will change your mind about milking machines. Since these machines have lots of benefits compared to hand milking.
Routines that are Consistent and Repeatable
Cows need a predictable and consistent environment and respond well to the machine’s predictable consistency. Machines that milk cows do so consistently, unlike humans, who milk animals by hand. Time of day, mood swings, or seasons have no impact on machines.
Reduces Labor Costs
The second benefit is straightforward since it saves money by avoiding labor costs. A large dairy farm requires many employees to work efficiently. Only a few will need milking machinery. Even though milking machine for cows price is higher than hand milking.
Pure Milk
Bits of hay, hair, and flecks of manure fall into the milk bucket you worked so hard to earn when you hand milk a cow. The bucket is completely enclosed and sealed when using a milk machine. During the milking, there is no chance of contamination. A good filter is helpful on so many levels.
Boost Activity
The dairy farm’s activity increases thanks to the milking machine. Efficient milking equipment can manage herds more quickly while maintaining milk quality, enabling farmers to milk more cattle than they could with manual methods. Therefore, one can add more cows since the farm activities run smoothly.
Machine Milking reduces Stress on Cows
When one follows the proper milking routine, one will minimize any pressure on the cows. In the long run, this benefits the animals and produces high-quality dairy products.
Time Management
While the milking machine is working, you can multitask. You can only milk one or two quarters with your hands, but the device can milk all four. A cow can be milked in about 5 minutes using the device.
Disadvantages of Machine Milking
Installation is costly.
A milk machine is an expensive purchase. Although the price of the milking machine for cows varies with quality, the overall installation cost is costly. Therefore, you should prepare a reasonable budget for it.
The risk of infection is higher if machines are not well cleaned.
Given that it is a necessary part of their job, the fact that employees must clean milking machines isn’t exactly a disadvantage. The risk of infections increases, though, when cleaning milking machines is not done thoroughly.
Provision of electricity
The machinery needs electricity to function. The dairy farm won’t be able to work when there are blackouts. These effects, however, can be mitigated by emergency power systems like generators.
Conclusion
Investing in an automated milking system instead of a manual one can be beneficial if the dairy farm has the right policies in place for maintenance and operation. The farm will be in a position to perform admirably and generate products of excellent quality.