MILKING SHED, RACE, AND YARDS.

Otago Witness, Issue 4029, 2 June 1931, Page 21

MILKING SHED, RACE, AND YARDS.

DESIGN FOR WALK-THROUGH PLAN. THE OFFICIAL PLANS. The Dairy Division of the Department of Agriculture has issued alternative plans entitled, “ Design for WalkThrough Milking Shed, Race, and Yards.” These plans, which are not readily procurable and should be kept for reference, are. presented on the opposite page to the many dairy farmers interested. They should be read with clause 14 of the general regulations and amendments thereof under the Dairy Industry Act, 1908. This will enable farmers to build a new shed or alter an existing one so as to be in conformity with the regulations governing the erection of milking machines. Clause 14 and amendments read as follows : — MILKING MACHINES. 14. The owner and occupier of every supplying dairy shall, with respect to every milking machine used in such supplying dairy, comply with the following provisions. Provided that nothing in this clause shall be held to make coin l pulsory the installation of a vacuum-tank or releaser. (a) The releaser and vacuum-tank shall be cither in the open air or in an apartment (hereinafter called the releaser room) other than that used for milking (hereinafter called the milking shed), and if the releaser room is under the same roof as the milking shed there shall be between the releaser room and the milking shed a complete and draughtproof partition or, in the alternative, a passage walled on both sides throughout the width and height of the releaser room, open to the outer air at both ends, and not less than two feet wide throughout : (b) No internal combustion or steam engine shall be in the same room as the releaser or cream separator: (c) An adequate water supply, and a suitable plant for the boiling of sufficient water for thoroughly cleaning the milking machine and its appurtenances, shall be installed and maintained near the machine. (d) The body of the vacuum tank shall be in two parts, or in the alternative, the diameter of the cover shall be as nearly as possible equal to that of the tank: (e) The releaser and vacuum tank shall be coupled together by short removable connections: (f) The connections to the vacuum tank, from the vacuum pump releaser, and milking shed, vacuum pipe respectively, shall be as straight as possible, and, if it is reasonably practicable, shall be independent of each other. (g) The milk pipe shall be of brass, tinned on the inside, and no iron piping, whether galvanised or not, shall be used in the vacuum or releaser system: (h) The vacuum pump, vacuum tank, and releaser shall be so installed and maintained that all lines of pipes shall be as straight as possible: (i) The milk pipe and vacuum pipes shall have a sufficient fall, which shall be provided and maintained so as to be as regular as possible, for the purpose of proper drainage. 10. Clause 14 of the principal regulations is hereby amended by adding the following as sub-clause (2) thereof: Every firm, agent, or person about to erect a new or used milking machine for use on a dairy farm supplying milk or cream to a manufacturing dairy, or any owner or occupier of a supplying dairy about to erect a milking machine or about to re-erect a milking machine he has previously used shall notify either the director or an officer of the Dairy Division of the district. No person shall erect a used milking machine until such has been ispectcd and passed by an officer of the Dairy Division. 3. Clause 14 of the principal regulations, as amended by Amendment No. 1, is hereby further amended by adding thereto the following additional subclause:— (3) No person shall erect in any supplying dairy a milking machine or milking machinery or an engine intended to drive a milking machine if such machine, machinery, or engine fails to comply with the foregoing requirements set out in this clause, whether in respect of position, design, material, construction, or otherwise, and no person shall contract for the erection in any supplying dairy of a milking machine or milking machinery or an engine intended to drive a milking machine if the terms of contract involve any conflict with the requirements aforesaid.” Another important point is the reloction of-the shed site. If a central site on the farm can be selected, preferably on a rise with plenty of good water available, and where the produce can be easily handled, the shed, if built in conformity with the above plans should be ideal from a practical as well as sanitary point of view.