New Parlour - additional bulk tank?

[danbain]

My family organic dairy farm is in the process of building a new parlour (as other one constantly breaking down!). The engineer has suggested having a second bulk tank for the following benefits (we are also looking into processing our own milk):

"Carrying out the alteration whilst building would, be less cost than a separate project.
Tank use:
Provide a second tank should milk buyer request any time collection.
Separate milk holding for processing.
Processing can be carried out at a convenient time not tied to collection
Storage temperature can be adjusted to suit."

Any thoughts? Do we need a 2nd tank? Does anyone have two tanks?

Thanks in advance

 

[dinderleat]

Pita one big one is much better

 

[Blue.]

I’d prefer 2 tanks,never missed sending milk due to being warm with a breakdown,basically you pump from one to the other.

Milk am in one pm in the other.

 

[multi power]

Pita one big one is much better

No, I'd say exactly the opposite

 

[multi power]

I’d prefer 2 tanks,never missed sending milk due to being warm with a breakdown,basically you pump from one to the other.

Milk am in one pm in the other.

Half each milking in each tank is even better

 

[Blue.]

Half each milking in each tank is even better

We have a pipe to link them,check tanks at 1st side and don’t go in dairy till wash time.

 

[O'Reilly]

My ideal scenario would be to have either two tanks, each capable of taking two days milk, or three tanks, with two of them able to take two days milk between them, and the third ready to be filled while waiting for the tanker. You are then set up for any time collection without the hassle of needing to pump from a buffer tank and wash the transfer equipment etc, which can be problematic I am told. You also have spare capacity if a tank breaks down.
Currently we have two tanks which we switch between, but cannot take four milkings at peak, and do not have space for three without some upheaval.
In conclusion, if you don't buy two tanks now, make your tank room plenty big enough, especially if you are considering processing.

 

[Bald Rick]

One big tank, glycol snap chiller and a T piece so tanker can collect whenever

Unless you don't employ anyone

 

[multi power]

One big tank, glycol snap chiller and a T piece so tanker can collect whenever

Unless you don't employ anyone

Tanker can't collect while you are still milking

 

[multi power]

Big problem I see with one big tank and a lot of cows dry is not enough milk to agatite properly

 

[Bald Rick]

Tanker can't collect while you are still milking

Yes it can. T piece and one way valve. We have 3k litres taken out then fill the lorry later

 

[Bald Rick]

Yes it can. T piece and one way valve. We have 3k litres taken out then fill the lorry later

Meant to add that chiller is dropping milk instantly to 3 deg so no issue with warm milk

 

[Blue.]

Meant to add that chiller is dropping milk instantly to 3 deg so no issue with warm milk

What happens when the chiller trips out?

 

[Bald Rick]

What happens when the chiller trips out?

We run a plate cooler too and have DX on the silo so even if the chiller is offline, even first milking is dropped below 5 deg within a few hours

 

[multi power]

Yes it can. T piece and one way valve. We have 3k litres taken out then fill the lorry later

No, it's against the rules, no milk can enter the tank once sample has been taken

 

[farmboy]

No, it's against the rules, no milk can enter the tank once sample has been taken

What about if auto sampler on tanker?

 

[multi power]

What about if auto sampler on tanker?

Don't know, it's a long long time since I seen one

 

[vantage]

Don't know, it's a long long time since I seen one

I’d say you are in a minority then as every milk tanker that’s been here for a decade or more and three different milk companies have auto sampled.

 

[multi power]

I’d say you are in a minority then as every milk tanker that’s been here for a decade or more and three different milk companies have auto sampled.

Probably I have not seen auto sample because omsco don't have them

 

[Horn&corn]

We run 2 tanks as herd increased. Most of the time works as a benefit. Got a back up for most of the milk if one breaks down, antibiotic failure on only half the milk, change pipe over halfway through for better cooling if plate cooler not up to the job. If a problem with bacto it only effects half the milk. Helps to track down high scc. Options for different markets etc.
2x second hand small tanks Cheaper than one big tank probably