Care & Maintenance of Portable Milking Machines

[Kev]

Understanding how the milking machine works requires a close attention of what happens at the teat cup. The teat cup has the pulsator side and the milking side. These two are separated by a membrane that ‘pulsates’ to create a suction at the teat end.

Inserting the teat into the teat cup fills the cup camber. When you switch the machine on, it creates a vacuum in the chamber. This vacuum causes milk to flow from the teat.

During the rest phase, air enters the pulsator chamber and the increased pressure causes the liner to collapse around the teat. This creates a massaging effect on the teats to promote blood flow and prevents injury to the teat end.

The necessity for pulsation​

• Leaving the vacuum constantly on the teat for extended periods would lead to accumulation of blood and lymph at the end of the teat, stressing the teat and probably causing injury to the teat.
• Pulsation ensures that there is blood circulation at the end of the teat to maintain teat end health.

An animation of how the milking unit of the best portable milking machine works:

Video by Leedstone Inc

Different milking machines have different pulsation ratios, but they are typically going for 60 pulses every minute. The ratios sum up to 100 percent no matter the combination.

Pulsator working ratios​

Most pulsator ratios range between 50/50 and 70/30 combinations. In this ratio, the first number represents the number of times the pulsator draws milk while the second number is the number of times the atmospheric pressure massages the teat.

You can vary the working ratios to suit your operations. Here is an overview of the ratios and what they mean:

1. The ratio 60/40 is the most preferred ratio for optimal operation of the milking machine. You have moderate vacuum and pulsation, which does not stress the teats because you finish milking quickly.
2. Anything that goes beyond 70/30 is not advisable, as it would cause injury to the animal due to too much sucking of the teats.
3. Below 50/50 and the machine will not generate enough suction to extract milk.

Some machines have dual pulsation, which allows for different ratios for hind and front quarters. 50/50 and 60/40 for front and hind quarters respectively, are preferred because the hind quarters hold more milk than the front quarters due to their larger sizes.

Test for the suction force on the teats and adjust to comfortable levels​

• To test for the level of comfort on the teat, you can put your finger into the cup for about 20 seconds. The effect you feel is what the cows feel on the teats. If it is uncomfortable, you should adjust appropriately to comfortable levels.
• With time, you will notice the different sounds that can tell you of any machine malfunctions. Replace parts as soon as you notice air holes (or bleed holes) as they end up in “bathing up” of the teats, which increases the chances of milk contamination.

More details are filed under the maintenance section below.

Maintaining your best milking machine: spare parts​

From time to time, you will experience breakdowns, which can be very costly if you fail to fix. Once you have bought the best portable milking machine, it will experience wear and tear as you use it. Parts will need replacement to maintain high levels of performance.

Here is the list of the spare parts you will need to maintain your best milking machine in shape.

Kozyvacu TA350 Single-Stage Rotary Vane Vacuum Pump for Milking Machine, HVAC/Auto AC Refrigerant Recharging, Wine Degassing, Medical, & Food Processing​

• Single stage pump (120V/60Hz), 1720 rpm, 1/4 HP
• Size: 10.6"*8.7"*4.7" and weighs 10.6lbs (net) 12.12lbs (shipping)
• Aluminum alloy cover and copper coil (black/silver)
• Flow Rate: 3.5 CFM (100L/MIN)
• Ultimate Vacuum: 5 Pa (0.05mbar)/150Microns
• Inlet Port: 1/2" ACME 1/4" Flare
• Oil Capacity: 280ml
• Power plug: American standard

Note: Model TA350G has an inbuilt vacuum gauge.

L80 Pneumatic Pulsator for Cow Milker Milking Machine Dairy Farm Cattle Dairy Gentle Uniform Stainless Steel 50-180 Ppm​

• Adjustable speed from 50 to 180 ppm
• Pulsation Rate: 60/40 (adjustable)
• Gross weight: 0.35kg

Winters PEM Series Steel Dual Scale Economy Pressure Gauge, 30″Hg Vacuum/kpa, 2″ Dial Display, +/-3-2-3% Accuracy, 1/4″ NPT Bottom Mount​

• Dual scale (psi/kPa)/(Hg. vacuum/kPa) with an accuracy of + or - 3/2/3%
• Operating temperature is -40 to 150 degrees F (-40 to 65 degrees C)
• Max measurement is 0-30"Hg Vacuum/kpa
• Outside diameter is 2 inches

Robinair 13203 Premium High Vacuum Pump Oil – 1 Quart​

• Weighs 1.9 pounds
• Measures 13.2 x 10.2 x 11 inches in size

Silicone Inflation Milking Machine Liner set for Cows​

• 57 mm teat end diameter with a 24 mm opening
• 40 mm inflation diameter
• 9 mm claw end diameter
• 292.5 mm in length
• Comes in a set of four

Set of 4 SS Milk Shells Teatcups with 4 in Inflations Rubber Liners for Cow Milking Work with All Brand Name Milkers​

• Brand new
• Four inflations, 12-inch-long inflations
• Works with all brand name milking machines

Tulsan Cow Milker Claw Cluster Complete with Silicone Liners, Stainless Steel Shells, 240cc Milking Claw, Air Tubes, Blind Stoppers Replacement Part for Any Brand Milking Machine​

• 240cc capacity with four inlets for four teat cups
• 4 soft silicone liners for comfortable teat suction
• 4 air tubes
• 4 stainless steel shells
• 2 blind stoppers
• The milking claw is compatible with any milking machine brand

Maintenance program for the best portable milking machine​

If you are looking to derive value from your prized milking machine, you must ensure that you have a maintenance routine for it. Keeping it in a good working condition will go a long way in ensuring that you do not experience down time.

The best portable milking machine needs the best maintenance routine. Here are some handy tips you can implement to help you increase the service term of your milking machine:

Daily maintenance	Weekly maintenance	Monthly ~ annual service
Wash the milking machine after every milking session	Check for twisted liners and their conditions.	Observe the regulator functions.
Check teats as cups come off and take note of the cow’s behavior. Falling cups during milking may indicate problems with the vacuum.	Clean all the air filters on the vacuum pump and the pulsators. Replace the clogged air filters.	Check all the tubes for wear and tear. Replace all worn out tubes and liners.
Inspect the pipelines and interceptor for any signs of milk or water. If you find any, drain and flush with chlorinated water (100 ppm)	Stick your thumb into the cups and monitor the suction force for about 20 seconds. Adjust as appropriate.	Strip the teats after machine milking to measure completeness of milking to avoid over-milking. Establish routine milking times.
Check for any water behind the teat chamber and remove if you find any. Ensure there is not a single hole on the tubes	Check the vacuum gauge to ensure that it is in a proper working condition. It should reach the working level in just five seconds.	Check the functionality of the regulators and pipe work.
Listen to the regulator to ensure that it is allowing air into the vacuum system during milking.	Maintain the right level of oil in the vacuum pump	Replace all bleeding tubes. Replace air cleaners and other faulty parts.
Watch as the milk enters the reservoir to help you establish an even flow.	Check for the air inlet on the claw and ensure there is no clogging on it	Dismantle the machine according to your manufacturer’s instructions and clean at least once a year
Read the vacuum gauge and keep a record of the results.	Check filters on pulsators or on filtered air supply lines	Consult your supplier for technical assistance and regular maintenance.

A video illustration of how the best portable milking machine works:

Video by ENKA TARIM