When running a dairy farm, milking equipment is an essential piece of your farming operation, and you will need to ensure that you have the best equipment possible for this task.
It doesn’t require you to spend excessively on equipment that will get the job done; it just means that you need to make sure you choose the right equipment for your operation.
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Milking Machines
Probably, the most essential milking equipment you will need for milking your dairy herd is a simple milking machine and a stand for each cow. Portable milking equipment is ideal for small dairy farms because it allows you to move your equipment around as needed.
Whether you plan to milk each cow three times a day or twice, there are milking machines that will allow you to do this without too much hassle. You may even be able to afford an automatic system if you are running a large dairy farm.
Milking Showers And Parlors
If you want to milk your cows more than once a day, you may also need milking showers – this helps keep your dairy herd clean, allowing for cleaner udders and cleaner milk.
If you have a parlor area on the farm, this will mean that you can put each cow in the parlor after she’s been milked to let her rest. It will prevent muscle cramps or other issues that might come about from standing in the same spot for too long.
Freezer Systems
Of course, if you’re selling the milk that you produce on your dairy farm, it’s essential to have a place where you can store it. It means having both a freezer and refrigerated room on the farm premises, so you can ensure that all of your fresh milk is chilled correctly at all times.
While this isn’t an absolute necessity on smaller operations, larger farms will undoubtedly need them to keep their milk production on track without any issues.
Milking Buckets
Once the milk has been collected from each cow, you will need a bucket to collect it in. These can be purchased from your local feed store or any company that sells milking equipment.
You may even want to consider buying a few extra buckets, as they are likely to get dirty during the cleaning process and become useless for milk collection.
Milking Filtration Supplies
Another item that you will need for your dairy farm is plenty of milk filters. Once the milk is collected, it should be run through a filtration system to screen out any impurities. Depending on the size of your dairy operation, you can opt for a simple low-volume filtration system, or a more complex multi-step unit.
Mastitis Testing Supplies
When you first begin to produce milk on your dairy farm, you must check each cow regularly for signs of mastitis. It is a common issue that may affect the production levels of your herd and should be treated early in order to avoid any further complications.
You need to have two items to test for this ailment. First, you will need a microscope that can help you check to see if mastitis is present in the cow’s milk. Secondly, you should purchase individual testing strips designed for this specific job.
Even though there is a lot of equipment that you will need to run your dairy farm, you can save money by buying everything in bulk. It means that instead of purchasing single items for your operation, you can buy them all at once and save yourself some money.
