Low budget Milking parlour alterations

[Cowwilf]

Our current milking parlour is a well used 16 16 with jars above head level and standings at 32 degrees milking from the side.
I want to alter it to milk between the back legs as I find the units sit on the cows better and the pipes and acr cord don't get stepped on nearly as much.
All it needs is the front unit moving to the back and they would line up perfectly. I've always been a fan of the jars but For a long time now everyone has told us to rip the jars out and go direct to line. If we were to do this the only option at the moment would be to have no meters (very small budget) and we wouldn't even need milk recording samplers as we don't record.
Question is has anyone done similar and if so any regrets?
Thanks in advance.

 

[coomoo]

At this minute in time I'd move the front unit to change the cow standings only, if it's all going well in future then direct to line.

 

[Buford T. Justice]

I would stick with jars, if that's what you're used to. I have them myself and I find it useful to see a cow down in her milk or with blood in the milk or if she is in heat.

I agree with you on milking between the back legs, less trouble with cows standing on them but more dunging on them so it's a balancing act.

 

[Blue.]

I built my own 12/24 in 02 put in a 3"direct line and only added acrs a few months later as well as clip on milk meters,all 2nd hand and it worked well for 12 months then I fitted new metatron12 milk meters.

I have some 2nd hand 3" milk line in the stores but it's drilled out for wesfalia milk meters.

 

[Cowwilf]

Thanks for the replies guys.
I know what you mean about being more mucky but I think it's worth it to stop them getting pipes wrapped around there legs.
Has anyone that has made the
change found direct to line to be quicker milking out?

 

[BELOWAVERAGE]

I changed from jars to direct to line 5 months ago, don't like it much preferred seeing the milk in the jars, definitely no faster milking out.

 

[jimmer]

shouldnt be quicker milking out unless you have air leaks in your jar connections and valves
what size is your current transfer pipe ?
are you using manual diverting taps (triplex etc) or clamp valves and paddle switches ?
have you a staggered or straight rump rail ?
how far are your cows back legs from the pit kerb?
are you feeding in parlour ?
manual or electronic pulsation ?

 

[Cowwilf]

No leaks just what I've been told. I do like seeing the milk. Straight rump rail eletric pulsation and feeding. toggle switches left on auto empty so when the unit comes off the milk goes unless I have locked it.
The other advantages of the jars is we can record if we want to and if the tank is still washing I can get a batch on and hold the milk a few minutes and the ease of dumping milk.

 

[jimmer]

if your bactoscans are ok , you dont crack your head on the jars too much , and you can put up with the extra external cleaning they entail i wouldnt bother changing them if you havent cash to splash
the only problem i found with rear leg milking at 30 degrees was the fact they didnt seem to keep their legs apart very well , but it is easier in the long run i think

 

[Cowwilf]

What makes you mentioned bactoscan?
I am struggling with bactoscan at the moment. I never hit my head they're a nice hight and being high they font get much muck splash just dust build up.

 

[jimmer]

when we were jars , i had bacto issues
i changed chemicals and put wash temp up and it seemed to help
a dash of peracetic in the final rinse too

 

[Blue.]

Jars act like big radiators and lose heat from your wash water,also more rubber and bends to hold crud etc...

If you have jars above your head you are lifting the milk a hell of a height,I wouldn't ever go back to a jar plant.

 

[Buford T. Justice]

What makes you mentioned bactoscan?
I am struggling with bactoscan at the moment. I never hit my head they're a nice hight and being high they font get much muck splash just dust build up.

There is twice the surface area for milk to pass along and also for dirt to stick to. You will be using greater volumes of rinse water and detergent also.

On the plus side, I can see some dirt building up on the inside of the jars so it can work as an early warning sign also(though if you can see the dirt, the results are going to be showing higher levels anyway.

 

[Bruce Almighty]

We have jars in a 10/20 and milk through the back legs. Jars are up out of the way of banging your head
We have auto - transfer so rarely waiting for milk to go
I can't see any advantage in taking the jars out, so that's why they've stayed.
I would move the front jar to the back like you planned to do originally

 

[Cowwilf]

What temperature are people washing at? I'm aware it's a fair way to lift the milk but it doesn't seem to be a problem they have been up there for many years. Same with the larger cleaning area never noticed any problems all pipe work is now silicone. I've never had a visible build up of dirt on the inside of the jars. So I can't see the layout is causing the current bactoscan problem.

 

[Aircooled]

Jars here.They let u see what's happening.They cool milk a bit/heat parlour a bit.Bactoscan issues more likely linked to tank than jars.Fitter told me no evidence to prove high jars done any harm.If extending I might lift mine up out of the way.

 

[petermrs1]

Interesting comments. In my experience vacuum levels are always higher when you use energy to lift milk when gravity works for free. At low level imo you can't beat jars with the huge vacuum reserve they hold and the fact you see what is going on.

 

[Coldbrook]

I've been told that jars dont act as vacuum reserves as the pipe inlets are too narrow.

 

[Bruce Almighty]

I've been told that jars dont act as vacuum reserves as the pipe inlets are too narrow.

The only time they don't act as reserve is when they are full

 

[petermrs1]

I guess it depends on how it's plumbed. In most instances the milk in the low line or transfer line has no influence on the vacuum supply to the unit when milking due to a flooded or slugging action. Jars imo are the best at milking a cow as long as you don't lift the milk. and when they are looked after they are a classy setup.