“MECHANICAL COW.”

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4419, 26 May 1922, Page 1 (Supplement)

“MECHANICAL COW.”

INTERESTING DEVICE,. ART OF MILKING. INGENIOUS LOCAL INVENTION. One of the most interesting devices in connexion with the dairying industry is the “Mechanical Cow,” invented by Mi W. K. McLean, of Paeroa. The purpose of the “mechanical cow” is not, as its.name might imply, a machine for making artificial- milk in. It is a device calculated to help the dairyman, to attain greater efficiency in the art of milking, and olj attaching and detaching, the cups to and Item the teats. Tne implement •consists of four glass cylinders, to which are attached indiarubber teats. Inside the. glass tube is a valve which regulates the flow in the same manner as the milk conies from a .cow’s uddei. The advantage of the glass tube is that the action of the cups can be seen clearly. Mr McLean has put his ideas before Mr W. Goodfellow, Managing Director of the N.Z. Co-operative Dairy Co., Ltd., and before several prominent and practical men in the dairy industry, all of whom have expressed the opinion that if the young men. are , alive to the possibilities of the “mechanical cow,” and support competitions, the standard of milking will be appreciably raised by improved methods of handling the cows and machines, which in turn will ultimately result in greater production per cow, and therefore higher financial returps.

Mr McLean has obviously made a close study of methods of milking as carried on at the average dairy, farm ; he has seen the various weaknesses which exist, and has, devised a way by which these . drawbacks may be eliminated. Of his own initiative, Mr McLean has evolved certain conclusions in regard to the art. of inilkihg, on principles which are already established and in practice in some of; the large industrial concerns in the world to-day. For instance, it is now well known that in, almost any class of work, if the workers adopt certain movements, as advised by the "effie: : epcy doctors” of the particular industry concerned, a greater output will be obtained, with less exertion on the part of the labourer or operative. This principle applies to almost any work—navvying, making of bopts, skinn-ng and dressing a carcase, engineering work, carpentering, and so ok And there is every reason to believe that the same principles applied to milking Will give equally good results. In fact, the results would be better in regard to milking, for this reason: if a man js dealing,with inanimate matter, such as earth, metal, leather, etc., his unscientific handling of these thipgs will 'result in a slower process of manufacture, but may not affect the quality or the amount of the material. With imilking, on the other hand, a reduction of the >product actually takes place. As Mr McLean a cow makes much of her milk while She is in the act of ’ being milked, and stoppages, harsh treatment, or clumsy handling of either the cow or the machine will cause the animal, to cease producing milk for the time being. This loss, though not much on any single occasion, amounts to a great deal in the aggregate of a herd for the whole milking season.

(•It is a curious thing that in nearly all other activities of liTje—woodchopping. apple . picking, ploughing, etc., there are-competitions, but although our primary Industries coptribute 90 per cent. of. the Dominion's exports, and dairying Is the most important of ' the - primary industries, there is yet no competition in the art of milking.* The position is anomalous.

It may be emphasised that the elimination of stoppages, thus causing a reduction of a. few minutes in Ithe time taken . for each milking, would mean a considerable saving! in benzine and wear and tear on machinery during a . season.

' ' The invention should also' be of importance to the schools, wlhere nearly everything; pertaining to farming is now taught—except: the art of| milking. And considering the importance of the dairy industry, the Educational authorities, the Dairy Division of. the . Department of Agriculture, and the Govetnment should be sympathetic and shew their sympathy in a practical,' helpful way.

1 Mr McLean’s ideal is that the process of milking should be conducted smoothly, wihtout avoidable stopl- - and with absence of all jerky, restrictive movements. An atmospheric of smoothness and harmony is very desirable in the: milking shed, and to this end the inventor of the “mechanical cow”, has: made exhaustive studies and practical tests, the fruits of which, if; applied generally, would substantially increase dairying output, and reduce all causes of friction. To popularise the machine for the benefit of the Industry it is necessary that demonstrations should be held, and that the competition among milkers should be keen. But first of all the inventor would naturally like to hear expressions of opinion, from practical dairymen before going to the expense of having a fullset machine made.. Expressions of opinion . will be welcomed, and the columns of' the "Gazette” are available, for the exchange of views.

Mr McLean points .out the. fpllowing:/

“The introduction of the Mechanical Cow would increase production without having to find additional capital or labour, and therefore should receive the farmers’ support. Of ‘ course, figures can be made to prove anything, but they are, nevertheless', ■ necessary for making estimates and recording results. At the meeting of; committeemen of the N.Z. Dairy Co. at Paeroa recently Mr Sinclair stated that the company had something ovbq 7800 suppliers. If we cut; out 800 of the smaller suppliers, and assume that the 7000 remaining farms average 50 COWS', we have 350.000 cows. If by more scientific methods the time taken to milk those cows could be reduced by 18 secouas each, we would, save 15 minuites in each milking, or half .an hour per day. Those 18 seconds would have to be gained, not by. Increasing the vacuum, but by inducing a con-

tinuous flow of milk once the cups are on, /“This can only be.accomplished by avoiding clumsiness and loss of ■vacuum and time by those performing the work. Quickness and gentleness will induce cows to give their milk with an even continuous flow, and not ohly will they produce more at a milking, but will remain in profit for a much.longer period. Add this 30 minutes more feeding time per day, and assupie that the more efficient, handling with gentleness is worth %d per day per cow for 240 days, and you have the sum Of £4'3,750, Add the saving of benzine at the rate pi 6d per hour for 240 days, and the saving is £21,000. If the 30 minutes per ' day wasted in the shed were put on to the farm, and assuming that it* takes a man and a boy to milk 50 cows, and their combined time is worth 3s per hour, the 7000 suppliers benefit to the extent of £126,000. Therefore the three amounts abovementioned co.me to £190,500, or 27.30

per herd. “Asuming that the N.Z. Dairy Co., Ltd., represents one-third of. the industry, it means that the more efficient working might result in a benefit to the Dominion of £571,500; You Can dotfble it, halve it, br quarter it, and the result is still worth the effort. If the Mechanical Cow can earn half a million pounds for the Dominion, should' it not appeal to the ment, the dairy companies, and the suppliers' sufficiently to support the invention in its initial stages