TESTS OF OPERATING MODES OF MILKING MACHINES USING A DIGITAL ELECTRONIC RECORDER
One of the most important factors affecting the milking process quality is to provide a stable vacuum-gauge pressure in the milking machine according to the zoo-technical requirements. Compliance with this condition ensures the quick and complete milking and reduces the risk of mastitis in cows. The required level of vacuum-gauge pressure is maintained by the trouble-free operation of all units and assemblies of the milking machine through systematic monitoring of the milking process with electronic data recorders. IEEP-branch of FSAC VIM has designed a digital electronic vacuum-gauge pressure recorder for the milking machines. The recorder has two electronic sensors with indicators mounted on a handle, which is connected with the valve on both vacuum and milk lines of the milking machine, and an electronic registration unit with removable media that allows to record and computerize the received data. The recorder was tested on a dairy farm with 900 cows milked by ADM-8-200 milking machines. The study results on the farm showed that during the milking the vacuum-gauge pressure in certain sections of the vacuum and milk lines decreased by 3 to 5 kPa from the standard. During the maintenance of milking equipment the digital electronic recorder allowed to identify malfunctions and timely eliminate them.