90 Report of Department of Animal Industry of the 



In handling data which is subject to considerable variation 

 reliable measurements may often be obtained by accumulating 

 such a mass of data as to equalize the disturbing factors. How- 

 ever in the present instance the natural variation in the yield of 

 the cow is so very large and the influence of the manner of 

 milking, when properly done, is so very small that the actual 

 measurement of the influence of the machine method of milking 

 upon the flow of milk under present conditions is practically 

 impossible. 



In connection with this statement it should be distinctly under- 

 stood that just as hand milking varies from a manipulation which 

 promptly stops the flow to that which encourages the flow to the 

 full capacity of the cow so machine milking may be of every 

 degree of desirability depending upon the mechanical principles 

 of the machine and the skill with which it is operated. 



The problems in this connection which now await solution are 

 tke relative merits of the various mechanical principles and the 

 conditions under which they can be applied most advantageously. 



CONCLUSIONS. 



One of the limiting factors in the development of the dairy 

 business is the difficulty in obtaining regular and efficient milkers. 

 The interest in the milking machine is largely due to the possi- 

 bility of displacing a considerable amount of low-grade labor 

 by a single higher grade, better paid man. 



This study of the influence of hand and machine methods upon 

 the flow of milk covers a period of over four years. During this 

 time approximately 11 cows were milked by machine and an 

 equal number by hand during their lactation period. All ma- 

 chine milked cows were stripped by hand and the milk so ob- 

 tained was credited to their flow. As the result of mishaps inci- 

 dent to dairying satisfactory data was obtained from only 71 

 lactations. 



Owing to the interest on the investment in machinery and to 

 the time which is necessarily lost in preparing and later clean- 



