IMG_7174 - Rosey In Action In The Dairy . . .

I thought you might like to see Rosey in action on the dairy farm. I visited yesterday and took a heap of pics. The first milking is at 3.30 am in the morning. Two of the lads go back about a klm to get the cows. They wear head torches. It takes around a 1/2 hour to bring the herd in, 170+ cows. The property they are on is quite large, maybe 5ha, and it is a Government-run institution, live-in, and they get one day off to come home. There is a continual cycle of growth happening, from day-old calves, to calves growing up, to the milkers, until they reach the end of their life here on earth and are despatched to the big dairy in the sky!!!!

 

This milking shed is a two 18-row stand, with a pit waist deep that runs between them. The 18 cows are herded in and stand side by side, locked in, then the teats are washed with a hose, then the teats are dipped in disinfectant, and then they are wiped with a cloth, one side for one cow, then the other side for the next cow. Once this is done the suckers are attached and away the milk goes. While this is happening, the cows contentedly munch on pellets of some sort, then while the milking is happening, the next row is being readied, same procedure. When the milking has finished, the suckers are removed and laid on the rack of the rail via a hook. The next batch have been readied and the same thing happens. Then the ones that have been milked are let out, the next batch of 18 line up and the process continues.

 

The cows can let go at any time, so either a torrent of pee or poop will come out, and be ready to duck and weave LOL!!!!

 

In this set of pictures, from top left and clockwise,

Rosey is wiping the disinfectant from the teats of a cow.

About to attach the suckers to a cow.

Washing the cloths that are used to wipe the teats.

Hand-feeding a poddy that was born the day before. They don't let the calves suckle the mother.

Suckers doing their job.

Hosing down after a "dump"

 

Rosey is loving this work and she is looking now for employment in Australia on a dairy farm probably in Queensland, warmer there LOL!!! She is learning not only milking, but fencing, and general maintenance work.

 

While I was there yesterday they had nearly finished milking and the power went off. It is called a "brown out" here. So the generator was started and milking continued. They must have a back-up system so they can finish the milking.

 

She is wearing a big plastic bag, with a hole cut in the head and side for her arms. This is to prevent being covered in the good stuff. She is a real goer, will do anything, loves life. What a little champion she is!!!!!

 

The milk comes from the suckers and is collected in a suction bottle first and then this goes via pipeline to a big fat that is chilled. A tanker will come along when the vat is full and take the milk to a processing plant where it is pasteurized and all other forms of treatment. I brought home some fresh full cream milk, like Cadbury's advertise on their chocolate and it is yummy. I had some on my porridge (oats) this morning!!!!!! Y-U-M-M-O!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

All pics are SOOC except for crops.

 

I used Picasa3 Collage to make up this batch of pics!!

Done