Cows mucking in the parlour

[multi power]

It was crushing them on exit and entry. Pressure bars weren't in the right psoition. We couldn't move them because of legal action. Locking yolks on the feeders didn't lock cows in so we had cows getting out and walking along platform to get out with clusters attached.

Didn't you make sure it was right before you paid for it ?

 

[jimmer]

Agree with the volume washer thing ,
Why not try a milking when you go as fast as possible , literally quick wipe , unit on kick em out
Wouldn't mind betting they hardly lift a tail , if this is the case you have a bench mark from either end of the scale to come to a middle compromise on

 

[Ducati899]

get the occasional one crap and i just push it away with a short handled scraper but if i do have to use the volume washer then i put it on as wide a spray as possible to make as little noise as i can,others seem to have it on full chat beating against the walls and then wonder why the cows the other side of parlour start crapping!!!

 

[buffalo_soldier]

Didn't you make sure it was right before you paid for it ?

It can be surprising what goes on.
I know of a chap that had a parlour put in backwards. Took 10 years to sort out.

 

[Penmoel]

Any stray voltage which they could be picking up on?

 

[lazy farmer]

Like the camera idea
How long from touching the teat to cups on ?
I'd try not doing 2 halfs
and get the gate open to let them out ASAP
and turn off the volume washer, maybe a small scraper that you could push the muck away without leaving the pit

i have to totally agree with that. water encourages dunging as does prolonging milking by not opening exit gate quickly enough especially if you have an empty row whilst you clean up.i find if on my own 8minute rows prevent dunging any longer than that and they will dung.Not sure why you need 2 in the parlour with all your gadgets? If your milking a lot of rows would be better if they milked alone and milked half each. too much chat also upsets mine

 

[DairyGrazing]

I’m beginning to think there’s no need to feed in the parlour. I switched them on one weekend when they were playing up. We milked cleaner and quicker. I’m not sure if they wouldn’t get used to it in time.

 

[PREES]

Any stray voltage which they could be picking up on?

I would like to get it tested but I have been warned that it is not a straight forward process and often incorrectly diagnosed so I am also looking for someone who knows what they are doing rather than relying on our local electrician (who is otherwise excellent! )

i have to totally agree with that. water encourages dunging as does prolonging milking by not opening exit gate quickly enough especially if you have an empty row whilst you clean up.i find if on my own 8minute rows prevent dunging any longer than that and they will dung.Not sure why you need 2 in the parlour with all your gadgets? If your milking a lot of rows would be better if they milked alone and milked half each. too much chat also upsets mine

I agree which is why I am seriously considering the camera idea so we can have a serious look at what is happening row after row, it is interesting that the initial rows are ok suggesting to me that when they just get on with pushing the cows through the cows are out before they muck, then with later rows the routine goes off and they begin to muck! We also have a backing gate which I am beginning to suspect is not being used effectively!

 

[Penmoel]

I would like to get it tested but I have been warned that it is not a straight forward process and often incorrectly diagnosed so I am also looking for someone who knows what they are doing rather than relying on our local electrician (who is otherwise excellent! )

!

I heared Gelli Aur had a problem with earthing and stray voltage, think they have solved it now maybe worth asking there

 

[ollie989898]

Why? I was about one in to use plate cooler water.

Nah, route plate cooler warm water to nearest (large) water trough.

 

[ollie989898]

i have to totally agree with that. water encourages dunging as does prolonging milking by not opening exit gate quickly enough especially if you have an empty row whilst you clean up.i find if on my own 8minute rows prevent dunging any longer than that and they will dung.Not sure why you need 2 in the parlour with all your gadgets? If your milking a lot of rows would be better if they milked alone and milked half each. too much chat also upsets mine

Do you feed anything in the parlour, Chris?

 

[epfarms]

Our vets offer parlour audits with dynamic testing and they were cheaper than other companies, we also received very good advice. It was for a mastitis problem rather than a sh!t problem but they do have the kit and expertise. I think they go around the country doing it, might be worth a call. Shepton vets, Somerset. 01749 343955

 

[Ducati899]

too much chat also upsets mine

same here,i love peace and quiet in the parlour

 

[lazy farmer]

Do you feed anything in the parlour, Chris?

we do, flat rate 2kgs per milking. I'm not saying we don't get any crapping we do just nothing like the OP is talking about. the least we get is when I'm doing 7 1/2 min rows(20 cows) what goes in must come out!

 

[lazy farmer]

same here,i love peace and quiet in the parlour

for some reason they are particularly upset by my singing can't think why!

 

[jade35]

Maybe just ours but have found that if one dungs then others are more likely to follow suit. Two theories, either they smell the original dung and it starts others off or they have been in collecting yard long enough to have built up further supplies probably more obvious in the summer months when they have walked back to yard.

There is a further thought and that is that the dunging is a learned behaviour, we bought a cow from the Crichel herd a long time ago who came in the parlour and then had to dung every time, generally before the cluster went on

But would agree with LF that length of time in parlour has a lot to do with it.

 

[multi power]

i have to totally agree with that. water encourages dunging as does prolonging milking by not opening exit gate quickly enough especially if you have an empty row whilst you clean up.i find if on my own 8minute rows prevent dunging any longer than that and they will dung.Not sure why you need 2 in the parlour with all your gadgets? If your milking a lot of rows would be better if they milked alone and milked half each. too much chat also upsets mine

Milking is a 2 man job here, autumn calving and full routine, once cows go out I sometimes milk alone on weekends, no muck, and way better cow flow

 

[PREES]

@jade35 it certainly looks like that with us, once they start mucking every row includes one or more that mucks! We have wondered whether washing muck away increases conductivity of stray voltage hence we would like to find someone who knows what they are doing to test the parlour.

 

[jade35]

@jade35 it certainly looks like that with us, once they start mucking every row includes one or more that mucks! We have wondered whether washing muck away increases conductivity of stray voltage hence we would like to find someone who knows what they are doing to test the parlour.

Would think it may have more to do with the sound of the volume washer may not be an answer but dung consistency may give a clue to whether the cows are upset in the parlour or just responding to what they smell and hear They are certainly a lot looser if something upsets them in the parlour Jim Fogarty, milk recording supervisor from years ago, could upset the cows beautifully when he visited!


Radio on or off? Is the backing gate holding them too tight ?

 

[PREES]

@jade35 radio on!! , if anything I think they fail to use the backing gate enough! I would like to see them use it little and often rather than just now and then!