Milking parlor dimensions are calculated depending on the number of animals to be housed. Different alternatives can be used in the process of capacity and number of milking stalls. It is also important that the milking parlors provide continuous and quality service. It is useful to make the right decision about milking parlor management by looking at the growth regime and the capacity of the farm.
Milking parlors, which are special facilities used for milk production, ensure that milking is completed hygienically and efficiently. Although they are mostly found in cattle breeding enterprises, they include applications that can be milked by machine or manually.
While preparing the dimensions of the milking parlor, factors such as capacity planning, time and labor force as well as comfort and hygiene should be taken into consideration. The latest technologies are utilized in these areas, which have an important place in the livestock sector. In addition, automatic milk measurement systems are also used to make the milking process hygienic and more efficient.
How Should the Milking Parlor Be?
There are many criteria to be considered in the milking parlor planning and design process. These are
- Rubber floors should be preferred for milking exit paths and waiting area
- Milking machinery or equipment must be suitable for milk and udder health
- Milking machines should maximize milk quality
- Planning should be done by considering expansion plans in the future
- The required labor force must be calculated correctly
The following factors are important in milking parlor design;
- Milking machines must be installed correctly and maintained regularly
- Massage the udder area for half a minute after milking
- Milking time per cow should be planned to average up to 10 minutes per day
On the other hand, attention should also be paid to the process of milking parlor performance measurement and audit. At this stage, the efficiency of the milking parlor should be increased and it should be ensured that the machines do not technically impair milk and udder health. In addition, factors such as milking quality, milking time, milk quality and yield should be monitored regularly.
If we continue with the answers to the question of how the milking parlor should be, the following criteria should be followed in the design phase;
- Number of people to work in the milking parlor
- Work routine to follow
- If there is a special milking group, what the milking time will be
- How many times a day to milk
- How many animals will be milked per day
When making a general evaluation of the milking parlor, the condition of the milking facilities must be checked. In other words, the roof and structure must be sound. It should also be kept in mind that a dark milking parlor can bring negative results. A bright milking parlor will facilitate the milking process and speed up the entry and exit of the cows. At this stage, the milking pit should not be shallow. Because shallow pits cause the milking person to bend down and may bring serious pain after a while.
Milking parlors should be easy to enter and exit. While U-turns and sharp corners should be avoided, there should be no bumpy places or pits. Likewise, the milking parlor floor should be non-slip, clean and dry.
When talking about milking parlor floors, first of all, animals should feel themselves in a natural pasture environment. In this way, while milking stress decreases, it speeds up entering the waiting room. Thanks to rubber floors, these features can be achieved in a short time. It should not be forgotten that animals will walk more balanced on rubber floors. In other words, while there is no risk of slipping during walking, injuries as a result of falling are minimized.
The milking parlor floor positively affects the hoof health of the animals. In this way, health problems can be prevented by using first the outer and then the inner nails. It is also important that these floors do not require maintenance. In other words, it is sufficient to use hot water and detergent for the residues seen on the upper surface of the milking parlor floors that are easy to clean. It would also make sense to use pressurized water during the cleaning process.
If we list the advantages of rubber floors in the milking parlor;
- The structure of rubber floors is flexible. In this way, it reduces hoof wear and always supports natural walking patterns.
- The risk of falling and slipping on these floors is very low. Because it is produced with high slip resistant surfaces.
- Bacteria cannot grow on rubber floors.
- Rubber floors, which reduce milking stress, accelerate the entry of animals into the milking area.
Epoxy floors can also be preferred as an alternative to rubber floors. These floors include criteria such as water resistance, non-slip surface and durability. While it shows a serious resistance to chemical substances, it is resistant to any abrasion. As such, the floors can be used in the long term. Waterproof epoxy floors prevent the leakage of liquids that may occur on the upper surface. In this way, it continues to provide a hygienic environment. Finally, it is produced as a non-slip surface to increase the safety of animals.
The last answer to the question of how the milking parlor should be will be for the management phase. In this context, there should be a separate access road from any cow road for easy access of milk trucks. This process is actually applied to prevent contamination of milk trucks due to manure. Other situations
