VOLUME 1

MILKING MACHINE MANAGEMENT

Copyright © VEEPRO HOLLAND.

Publisher / Editor : VEEPRO HOLLAND Information centre for Dutch cattle P.O.Box 4546800 AL ARNHEM HOLLAND / Tlx: 45541 NRS NL / Phone: * * 31 85 861133 / Fax: * * 31 85 861452Design & Realization : D vision

2

FOREWORD

Milking Machine Management, Volume 1,is the sixth in a series of managementmanuals published by Veepro Holland andthe first of two volumes on milking machines.The cooling and storage of milk, and testingof the milking machine will be described inVolume 2. Through these manuals VeeproHolland aims to provide you with usefulmanagement information. Dairy cattleworldwide have to be managed well toutilise their genetic potential to full extent.

No single booklet can cover every subjectas diverse and complex as dairying.Nor will probably everyone associated withdairying agree on all points covered in onepublication. But we of Veepro Hollandbelieve the combination of this manualand other publications on the subject maybroaden your knowledge about milkingmachines and will subsequently contribute

Publication from this manual is permitted only after approval ofVEEPRO HOLLAND and on condition of statement of the source

to a healthy and highly productive herd.

Veepro Holland is indebted to those whocontributed to this manual, particularlyIng. Wim Rossing of the Institute of Agricul-tural Engineering (IMAG-DLO) ofWageningen and Ing. Kees de Koning ofthe National Reference Centre for Live-stock Production (IKC) of the Ministry ofAgriculture, Nature Management andFisheries at Lelystad for their constructivecriticism.We would like to thank the IPC-Livestock/Dairy Training Centre 'Friesland' at Oenkerkfor their valuable assistance in the prepara-tion of this manual.Many thanks also to those associations andpublishers who permitted us to use variousdata and illustrations.

VEEPRO HOLLAND

THE CONSTRUCTION AND FUNCTION OFTHE MILKING MACHINE

The milking machine consists of the follow-ing key components:

The basic lay-outs of the main types ofmilking machines are shown in figure 1(see page 4).

3

INTRODUCTION

The milking machine is probably the mostimportant piece of farm equipment at adairy farm. Each day of the year beginsand ends with milking. It should be kept in

mind that the milking machine has got tomilk cows twice a day, no matter whathappens. For this reason, proper under-standing of the milking machine andregular maintenance is of utmost impor-tance.In handmilking the pressure is increased bysqueezing the fingers around the teat sothe teat sphincter will open. The approachin machine milking is different; instead ofincreasing the pressure within the teat, onelowers the pressure outside the teat canal,which causes the teat sphincter to open,while a pulsating vacuum between theteatcup and the liner forces the liner toopen and close, thus stimulating bloodcirculation.The major changes over the years relatedto plumbing and ironwork of the milkingmachine, made the transition from abucket milking system to a milking parlourpossible. But no matter the design of the

The milking equipment isprobably the mostimportant piece of farmequipment

milking machine or parlour, they all workaccording to the same way principle.

We will now have a closer look at themilking machine andthe way it functions.The testing and mainte-nance of milkingequipment and thecooling and storage ofmilk will be described inVolume 2 of Milk-ing Machine Manage-ment. The cleaning,disinfection, andmaintenance of milkingequipment is describedin the Proper MilkingManagement manual.

•••

••••••••••

the vacuum pumpthe vacuum pipelinethe interceptor, vacuum tank or moisturetrapthe vacuum regulator or controllerthe vacuum gaugethe vacuum and drain tapsthe pulsatorsthe milk pipelinethe cluster assembly and/or bucketsthe recorder jars and milkmetersthe sanitary trapthe receiver unitthe milk pump and milk filter

4

Figure 1 The basic lay-outs of the main types of milking machines.(Source: Machine Milking and Lactation)

vacuum gaugevacuum tapregulator

air

air

air

bucket

vacuum gauge

vacuum pump

long pulsetube

longmilk tube

claw

pulsator

pulsator airlinemilking vacuum linemilk transfer line

pulsator airlinemilk pipeline

air pipeline

pulsator

recorderjar

sanitarytrap

teatcups

pulsator

vacuum tube

= air & milk= milk= air

The vacuum pumpThe function of the vacuum pump is torapidly extract air continuously from themilking machine system. An air/vacuumpipeline connects the vacuum pump to allthe parts of the system where vacuum isrequired and is together with the vacuumpump regarded as the lungs of the milkingmachine system. Most milking machinesoperate at a set vacuum level between40-50 kPa. This is sufficient to extract milk outof the teats. Under normal weather condi-tions the atmospheric pressure is about 100kPa (1 bar) or 29.53" Hg or 75 cm Hg.See table 1 for conversions.The capacity of the vacuum pump is thevolume of air (at atmospheric pressure)displaced under working conditions and ata known number of pump revolutions per

longmilk

tube

longpulsetube

milk pump

Bucketmachine

Milkingpipelinemachine

Recordermachine

receiver

interceptor

minute. The capacity of the vacuum pumpis expressed in litres of free air per minuteand should be larger than the sum of thereserve capacity, the combined "airconsumption" of the milking units andpulsators, and other ancillary equipment tomaintain vacuum at a certain level.The required size of the vacuum pump willdepend on:

•the type of the installation (either buckets

Table 1 Conversion table for units of pressureinches Hgvacuum

cm Hgvacuum

kPavacuum

41444750

12131415

31333537

5

or milk pipeline with jars or milkmeters)•the number of milking units•the ancillary equipment•the number of milkers•the cleaning system•the geographic altitude

When installing a milking machine, theminimum standards have to be closelyobserved, such as those of the InternationalStandards Organisation (ISO). The currentISO standards are under revision. Table 2gives some examples for the desiredvacuum pump capacity.

Table 2 Recommended minimum free aircapacity of the vacuum pump in litresper minute and number of units at sealevel. (Source: IKC).

Number ofmilking units

Buckettype

installation

Milk pipelineinstallation

(circulation cleaning)

234568

121620

250 l./min.300350400530

330

425

6751000140017002000

l./min.

Atmospheric pressures and distancesabove sea level will change the output ofthe vacuum pump. Table 3 shows thecorrecting factor for true capacity.

The vacuum pipelineThe air pipes connect the vacuum pumpto the various milking units and are usuallymade of galvanised steel or PVC.The lowest possible number of elbows and

Table 3 Elevation correction factors for cal-culation of the correct size of vacuumpumps.

Normalatmospheric

pressure in kPa

Elevation inmetres above

sea level

Multiplier factorfor needed

pump capacity

300700

12001700

----

1.001.071.161.281.45

10095908580

The number of milking units influence therequired size of the vacuum pump

Table 4

Internaldiameter

Section surfacearea in cm²

Airflowlitres/minute

200600

1000

--->

< 200600

100017001700

5.011.320.431.245.3

25 mm38 mm50 mm63 mm76 mm

(1")(1.5")(2")(2.5")(3")

Standards for the minimum vacuumpipeline internal diameter in relationto the quantity of air extracted perminute at a constant air flow forpipelengths shorter than 30 metres.(Source: IKC).

tees is recommended and the installationof knee-pieces should be avoided underall circumstances, owing to their high airresistance. If the vacuum pipe is part of thecleaning circuit, it should be made ofstainless steel, glass or PVC.

The pipes should be properly supported toprevent sagging, which is often seen inmany older machine milking installations.Make sure that the vacuum pipeline canwithstand an internal pressure of up to 200kPa at all prevailing temperatures.The internal pipeline diameter should besuch that a drop in vacuum in the pipesdoes not exceed 2 kPa. See table 4 forstandards for vacuum pipeline diameter.

< 300700

120017002200

6

The interceptorAn interceptor vessel or moisture trap isfitted close to the vacuum pump to collectmoisture and dirt, preventing it from enter-ing the vacuum pump in order to avoiddamage. It should be fitted in a positionwhere it is easily accessible for cleaning.It is recommended to provide it with a floatvalve which closes off the vacuum whenliquids (milk or water) within the interceptorrises too high, and a self-sealing flap valveon the outlet which automatically openswhen the pump is switched off. In accord-ance with the milking system in use, theinterceptor should have a minimum capac-ity of at least 15 litres but preferably more.

The vacuum regulatorThe vacuum regulator is the brain of theentire machine milking system and shouldautomatically maintain a steady, desiredvacuum level. The regulator may beoperated by either a spring, weight ordiaphragm. The regulator is pre-set at thedesired vacuum level, so when the vacuumin the plant increases above the pre-setlevel, atmospheric air is admitted into thesystem until the required vacuum isreached. If the vacuum drops during milk-ing, the vacuum regulator might notfunction properly, the pump capacitymight not be large enough, the pump isrunning too slow or there are serious leaks.Fluctuations in vacuum should be pre-vented since this might increase the risk ofdamaging the teats and cause infections.

The regulator must be fitted in the vacuumline between the interceptor and the firstvacuum tap, but close to the interceptor.In view of the importance of the vacuumregulator, it should be easily accessible forperiodic inspection, cleaning and mainte-nance.

The vacuum gaugeThe vacuum gauge indicates the vacuumlevel within the milking machine system.Its position should be behind the vacuumregulator for checking whether the vacuumpump and regulator are working correctly.For checking the vacuum level during milk-ing it is recommended to place a secondgauge in the milking parlour.

The milking parlour is the heart of the dairy farm

To facilitate reading, the diameter of thegauge should be at least 75 mm. In thepast, gauges were calibrated in barometricunits (0-30 inches Hg or 0-76 cm Hg), buttoday a scale from 0-100 kPa is universallyapplied. See table 1 for conversions (seepage 4).

The vacuum and drain tapsThe vacuum taps are used in bucketinstallations to connect the long pulse tubeof the milking unit to the vacuum pipe.They should be fitted to the upper part ofthe vacuum pipe to prevent moisturedraining down through the long pulse tubeto the milking unit. The drain taps should beof the automatic self-draining type and befitted at all low points of the vacuum pipeto drain liquids that might have entered.

The pulsatorsThe pulsator is a device which connectsthe room between the teatcup (shell) andliner to vacuum or to atmospheric pressure.

7

expressed in cycles per minute. For effi-cient milking the pulsation rate should bein the range of 50 to 65 cycles per minute.Alternating versus simultaneous pulsationsystems are often debated. Millions of cowshave been milked with either system withgood results. Research and practicalexperience appear to be marginally infavour of alternating pulsation.

The working of the liner and shellWhat happens can best be understood bystudying figure 2. The air pressure within thespace between the shell and liner is alteredfrom atmospheric pressure to the samelevel as the vacuum inside the liner (underthe teat end).

A steady vacuum during milking is of utmostimportance for good udder health

Most pulsators are designed for ratiosbetween 50 : 50 and 70 : 30. In general theoptimum ratios are between 60 : 40 and70 : 30. The pulsation rate is the number oftimes the liner opens and closes and is

Vacuum or open phaseA steady vacuum on the inside of the lineris realised via the long milk tube. When thepulsator is in the vacuum phase there willbe vacuum on the inside and the outsideof the liner. This means there is no vacuumdifference, resulting in an opened liner.With the liner wall in straight position, thevacuum is applied to the teat end for milkextraction. We call this situation the milkingphase.

The liner opens when vacuum is appliedand closes when connected with atmos-pheric pressure. The pulsation system is theheart of the milking machine. The pulsatorcan be controlled pneumatically or electro-magnetically, and be self-contained oroperated by a master pulsator whichoperates a number of relays. Electromag-netic pulsators are preferred because oftheir more constant functioning.The pulsator can be fitted on the lid of thebucket or be placed on the vacuum pipe.

The speed of milk extraction depends uponthe time ratio between the opening andclosing phase of the teatcup liner.A pulsator ratio with a wide 'open' timeenables faster milking, but a too wide ratiomay not provide sufficient closing time tofacilitate proper teat massage and stimula-tion.

-

--

--

-

-

-

-

-

--

-

--

Figure 2

+

+

+

+

--

--

--

+ +

+

+

+

rest phasemilking phase

vacuum

The working of the liner and shell(Source: Managed Milking Guidelines, Jones)

vacuum

air atatmos-pheric

pressure

8

Atmospheric or closed phaseThe pulsator switches to another phase andthe vacuum within the long/short pulsetubes is replaced by atmospheric pressure.This causes the liner to squeeze below theteat, because there is vacuum inside theliner. The closing of the liner wall has twoeffects. It massages the teat and allows forblood circulation around the end of theteat, because now there is no vacuumapplied to the teat end. At the same timethe milk flow stops. This is known as the restphase.

The milk pipelineMany dairy farmers prefer a pipeline milk-ing installation to a bucket installation toavoid the tedious and repetitious work ofchanging and emptying buckets. The milkpipeline installation makes milking lesstiresome and increases the number ofmilkings per hour. The pipeline milkingsystem is used in tied-up cow barns and inmilking parlours.

The milk pipeline must be made of stainlesssteel or glass and is used to convey the milkfrom the milk clusters to the milk receiver.The pipeline diameter is dependent on thenumber of milking units, the milk speed, thelength and slope of the pipeline, and theair inlet. The flow of milk in the pipelineshould take up about 1/3 to 1/2 of thecross section of the pipe diameter.The speed of the milk flow is determinedby the slope of the pipeline and theamount of air flowing from the cluster units.In milking parlours the pipeline should slopeabout 1 cm for each 1 metre (1%) of length.Try to avoid raising of the pipeline overfeeding lanes or corridors. Under all circum-stances the milk flow should be smoothand uniform.

Through gravity the milk flows into theclawpiece and after admission of air themilk is conveyed into the milk recorder jar ormilk pipeline. For proper functioning of milktransport to high-level milk pipelines instanchion barns and in milking parlours thevacuum level should be in the range of48 - 50 kPa. However, this high-levelvacuum together with air admittance mayincrease the splitting of fat globules, andconsequently raise the acidity level of milk

The low-level milk pipeline is ideal from amilk-technical point of view

fat. Nevertheless, when using the recom-mended size of high-level milk pipelines thetransport of milk will be smooth and will notinterfere with the machine milking perform-ance.

In an effort to overcome milk transportationproblems and to maintain stable vacuumlevels in milking pipelines the low-level milkpipeline with larger diameters in milkingparlours was successfully developed. It isrecommended to install the milk pipelinebelow the elevated floor surface of thecows and underneath the curb. As a result,the vacuum fluctuations due to transportof milk in the long milk tube are minimized.The recommendations for the maximumnumber of units and different internaldiameters of milk pipelines are listed intable 5.

Cluster assembly and/or bucketsThe cluster assembly consists of 4 teat cups,the milk claw, the long milk tube and thelong pulse tube. The teatcup can be furtherdivided into a steel shell, a rubber liner, ashort milk tube and a short pulse tube.The diameters of the long and short milktubes should be (at least) 14 and 10 mm,respectively.

Single milk pipeline

Circuit milk pipeline

9

Table 5 Recommendations for the maximum number of units on milk pipelines of different internaldiameters for an average milk production of 15 kg per milking. (Source: IKC).

Type of milking pipeline Internal diameterin millimetres and inches

Total length in metres ofthe milk pipeline

50

-246

47

12

10

36--

---

20

246

10

712

-

30

-358

51014

(1.5")(2")(2.5")(3")

(1.5")(2")(2.5")

38516376

385163

In bucket installations the milk is conveyedfrom the cow to the bucket and afterwardsemptied into a milkcan or milk storage tank.The buckets must be made of stainless steeland have a capacity of up to 20 litres.The bucket system is the most simple way ofmachine milking and is used in small herdsand with just freshened cows (colostrum).

During recent years new additional com-ponents were developed to simplify thework and to assist the milker. The applica-tion of most ancillary equipment takesplace mainly towards the end of the milk-ing process of each individual cow.The milk flow detectors and the automaticcluster removal (ACR) are briefly described.

Milk flow detectorsMost milking units usually incorporate aprovision for visual observation when themilk flow is coming to an end and toovercome blindmilking. This is often done

with transparent components or inserts,such as pieces of transparent tubes joiningthe liners to the short milk tubes, transpar-ent covers on claw bowls or a short pieceof transparent tube inserted in the longmilk tubes. It does not always give aninstant clear indication of the milk flow,because the inner surface of the transpar-ent tubes are often covered by a layer ofmilk. To overcome this problem the milkercan use a milk flow detector.

Figure 3 shows a milk flow detector consist-ing of a float and a float-chamber. The endof milk flow detector shown in fig. 3 has aself-clearing orifice. A central tube shapedto fit a conical seat in the chamber outlet,has a notch in the bottom edge to form ametering orifice. The tube is flanged at thetop and surrounded for most of its height bya sliding float (Fig. 3a). During the peak flowmilking period, the central tube is lifted offits seat (Fig. 3b).

(b) milk flowing(a) no milk flowing

float

meteringorifice

seating

milkinlet

centre tube

magnet

reed switchclosed

reed switchopen

Figure 3 The end of milk flow detector. (Source: Machine Milking and Lactation)

10

Proper dimensions of the cluster assemblyenable smooth milking

cluster removal in cases where the flowrate is variable towards the end of milkingand before the milk flow is established.The detectors are usually made inoperativeby built-in delays for the first 2 minutes ofmilking.

Some other types have an operatingsystem based on the electrical conductivityof milk. As soon as the milk flow stops, theelectrical circuit between two probes isdisconnected, thus determining the end ofmilking. The milk flow detector detects theend of milking (below 0.2 kg/min.) andactivates the electric valve at the cylinderso that the cylinder is connected to thevacuum. The vacuum supply on the clusterwill be disconnected and the cluster isremoved from the udder.

At the predetermined end of milkingflowrate, a magnet in the float operatesan external reed switch. The manufacturersrecommend that the clusters be removedas soon as the milk flow is below 0.2 kg/minute. The metering orifice is self-cleaningand these detectors cannot work if themetering orifice becomes blocked.

Automatic cluster removal (ACR)For milking parlours a fully or a semi-automatic cluster removal system is de-signed to remove the cluster from the cowat the end of milking. Most manufacturersuse a piston and cylinder for the power unit.The cylinder is connected to the vacuumsupply of the milking machine through anelectric magnet valve device, and thepiston to the milking cluster through a nyloncord. The cluster removal sequence ismostly initiated by a milk flow detector.The milk flow detector activates the clusterremoval equipment when the milk flowfrom the cow becomes less than 0.2 kg/minute for a period varying from 15 to 30seconds. The delay is to avoid premature

An automatic cluster-removal system enablesan increase in the number of cows to be milked

Milk-recording with jars and milk metersThe most important information for feedingand selection of dairy cows is the daily milkyield of each individual cow.

11

Commonly, milking parlours are equippedwith a ridgidly mounted glass milk recorderjar for individual daily milk recording. Itenables the milk produced by each cow tobe seen and measured and, if necessary,rejected from the regular milk supply.

The milk recorder jar and electronic milkmetersFor official milk recording the jar has to becalibrated and should be fitted with provi-sions for milk sampling.At large-scale dairy farms these data canbe measured by electronic milk meters andmay be integrated with a computer-linkedidentification and management system.Often, these milk production data are partof a fully comprehensive managementprogramme. However, at most farms, a lessexpensive system is used.

official milk recording . A constant propor-tion (about 2.5%) of the throughput isdivided from the main flow and is col-lected in a measuring flask which is cali-brated to indicate the yield. The milkin the flask is a proportional sample and issuitable for milk analysis. These meters aremade of rigid transparent plastics and arelight in weight. They are suitable for usewith pipeline milking machines in cowsheds and by field technicians of the milk-recording associations.

The sanitary trapThe sanitary trap should be installed in allmilk pipeline and milk recording jar systems.The sanitary trap is an extra safeguard toprevent milk and/or water from enteringthe vacuum system. It also prevents anycontamination of milk with any non-desir-able liquids which may have entered thevacuum system. It should be made of glassor stainless steel and be fitted with anautomatic cut-off valve and have at leastan effective capacity of about 3 litres.

The receiver unitAll milk pipelines terminate at the receiverunit which functions as a liquid-air separator.At the same time this unit is feeding areleaser which transfers milk from the milkreceiver to the milk storage tank by meansof a milk pump. Most receivers are made ofglass or stainless steel and should have acapacity of at least 18 litres, but preferablybetween 40 and 50 litres. The receiver has abuilt-in electronic device at two differentlevels which is connected to the milk pump.The milk level in the receiver activates themilk pump on/off switch.

The milk pump and milk filterThe inlet of the milk pump is connected tothe lower outlet of the receiver unit.Most pumps are of the centrifugal type andmade of stainless steel. They are easy todismantle for servicing and inspection.Between the milk pump and filter there is aone-way valve to avoid milk flowing backafter the milk pump has been switched off.All milk must be pumped through a milkfilter into the milk storage tank. After eachmilking the filter should be disposed of forhygienic reasons.

Milk metering by the Tru Test milk meterIn the absence of a recorder jar milkmeters are available to measure individualcow yields, for instance once a week or for

The milk-recorder jar shows the most importantfarm management information

12

SUMMARY

It remains evident that proper knowledgeof the milking machine and extra attentionpaid to the system pays back doubly.The healthier the cows, the higher the milkproduction. The milking machine is a veryimportant piece of equipment requiring asmuch attention as the cows themselves.When it operates at optimum efficiency,the dairyman’s herd, as well as his balancesheet, will flourish.

The general guidelines for good milkingmachine management are:

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

make sure that your dealer offersadequate know-how and after-salesservice;install your milking machine installationaccording to the required specifications;ensure sufficient capacity of the vacuumpump at your geographic altitude;use the desired diameters of pipes forvacuum and milk transport;maintain the desired level of vacuumunder all circumstances;check and calibrate the vacuum gaugeon a regular basis to maintain accuracy;regularly check the rate of pulsation(cycles) per minute and pulsation ratio;keep your milking machine in optimalworking order through regular mainte-nance.

visit and consult other dairy farmers abouttheir experience with milking machines;select a capable consultant for properdesigning of the milking machineinstallation;

1.

2.

13

Earlier publications:

•Reproduction Management•Young Stock Management•Foot Care Management•Feeding Management, Volume 1•Feeding Management, Volume 2

FURTHER REFERENCES

• Milking; Lecture notes by IPC-Livestock/Dairy Training Centre ‘Friesland’• Machine Milking and Lactation by Bramley, Dodd, Mein and Bramley, (1991).• Buildings and Machinery, Dairy Handbook NADF of Zimbabwe (1987).• The Modern Way to Efficient Milking, MMMC of FIEI, (1985).• Prospects for Automatic Milking, Pudoc (1992).

Dairy Training Centre Friesland (DTC-Friesland) is established by various Dutch farmers’organisations and controlled by the Ministry of Agriculture. The Centre conducts avariety of international training programmes and courses. We also provide consul-tancy and management services.

All courses have a strong practice-oriented character based on the training conceptof learning by doing. The practical training is very intensive; one instructor deals withgroups of six students and for subjects like milking even with three students only.DTC-Friesland offers training in the following subjects:

- Dairy Husbandry

• machine- and handmilking, milking machines, milk hygiene• feeding, ration calculation, feedplans, quality of feedstuffs• fertility management, heat detection• breeding, use of A.I., culling, body conformation• housing, tying/cubicle systems, hygiene• health, mastitis control, hoofcare• calfrearing• farm economics• farm administration

- Forage production

• pasture management• fodder crops• silage making• farm machinery

- Milk processing

• manufacture of cheese, butter, yoghurt, ice-cream, etc.• milk collection and payment systems• marketing• management of a dairy unit

- Sheep husbandry- Dairy goat husbandry- Intensive beef production- Horse keeping and animal traction- Teaching methodology

Visits to farmers' organisations, A.I.-stations, Health and Extension service etc. areintegrated in the courses to provide a good picture of the dairy sector in the Netherlands.

14

The practical milking training is performed withonly three students per instructor

Dairy Training Centre Friesland

15

AD HOC COURSES

Our major activity is the organisation of ad hoc courses on request, preferably for groupsof a multiple of six participants. These training programmes are tailor-made and com-pletely designed according to the requirements of the client. The courses deal with oneor more of the earlier mentioned subjects. Duration of the courses varies from 1 week toseveral months.The courses are conducted in English. For some special subjects training can be providedin French, Spanish or German as well.If facilities are available locally, our staff is prepared to conduct courses abroad as well.

SIX-WEEKS COURSE: MODERN DAIRY FARM MANAGEMENT

This course is especially designed for persons in charge of a large-scale dairy enterprise,and includes all aspects involved in managing a dairy herd. The course offers a goodopportunity to refresh one’s knowledge and learn about recent developments in dairyfarm management. The course is conducted annually in September/October.However, for groups of at least six persons it can be organized at any time during the year.

TRAINING FACILITIES AND STAFF

The centre has four farms, eachwith a different managementsystem. One farm is especiallyequipped for internationalcourses. The total stock at thefour farms includes 250 dairycows, 50 fattening-bulls, 45 dairygoats, 85 sheep and 12 Friesianhorses. Additionally, the centremaintains close relations withtwenty neighbouring farms whichare used for practical training.Our staff consists of fifty dedi-cated and well-qualified trainers.All have up-to-date knowledgeof modern dairy farm manage-ment, and over 70 man-yearsexperience is present in variousdairy development projectsthroughout the world.

The manufacturing of cheese forms part of the course onDairy Husbandry

ACCOMMODATION

A newly constructed hostel provides full board and lodging in single or double bed-rooms. The hostel provides an international kitchen, and many recreational facilities.Social excursions are organised during the weekends to enable the students to getacquainted with the Dutch culture.

For more detailed information on the activities of DTC Friesland, please contact:

Dairy Training Centre FrieslandP.O. Box 859062 ZJ OenkerkThe Netherlands

TelephoneTelefaxTelex

: +31 510361562: +31 510361628: 46838 dtcfr nl