state Dairy Association. 85 



LABOR. 



One milker milks two cows at one time. One milker will milk 

 ten to twelve cows per hour, depending somewhat upon the kind 

 of cows and the amount of milk they are producing. The average 

 rate of hand milking is from six to seven cows per hour. Taking 

 all conditions into consideration, a machine milks as fast or a little 

 faster than the average hand milker. 



Any number of machines may be applied to a system. Four 

 milkers can be easily operated by one man, thus milking eight cows 

 at a time. Estimating all the labor included in starting the ma- 

 chine, taking care of the pumps, setting up the milkers, transfer- 

 ring the milkers from one cow to another, and cleansing the ma- 

 chine, fully 40 per cent of the labor is saved by using a machine. 



The nature of the work is another factor which should be taken 

 into consideration. By the use of the milking machine the mo- 

 notony of milking is to a great extent removed. The work becomes 

 easier and more pleasant. 



THE EFFECT MACHINE MILKING HAS UPON THE COW. 



Machine milking is very much easier on the cow than hand 

 milking, for the simple reason that the suction being applied upon 

 the teat is not as painful as the pressure applied by the hand, and 

 the movements of the hand are not as steady and as uniform as 

 the movements of the machine. 



POWER WITH WHICH TO OPERATE MILKERS. 



It is never advisable to operate a milking machine plant v/ith 

 less than two milkers. In this case it requires about a two-horse 

 power gasoline engine. Gradually, as the number of milkers is 

 increased, the proportionate power may be decreased. Instead of 

 calculating a horse power to every milker, a five-horse power en- 

 gine may easily operate eight milkers. 



COST OF A MILKING MACHINE. 



We deem it essential to use power in connection with a milking 

 machine. This, to a certain extent, will make the use of a milking 

 machine impractical for dairies having less than eighteen or twenty 

 cows as far as profit is concerned. We would, therefore, suggest 

 that farmers who are keeping a less number of cows should either 



