COMPARATIVE STUDY OF MACHINE AND HAND MILKING UNDER SUDANESE CONDITION

Abstract

The objective of this study was to compare milk yield, milking time, milk flow rate, cows handled per person and milk quality under the two milking systems of machine and hand milking on 12 cross breed cows (Kenana × Friezian) during February – May 2002, in the farm of the College of Agricultural Studies, Sudan University of Science and Technology. For the a mobile milking machine was used Data was collected. The parameters studied were statistically analysed using student t-test. The results indicated that the mean milking time of the hand and machine milking was 7.9 ± 0.73 and 6.5 ± 0.80 minutes respectively. The analysis of variance revealed a significant differences (P < 0.01) between these two values. The results of daily milk production (pound/day) showed a significant difference (P < 0.05) between the hand and machine milking with means of 15.06 ± 3.36 and 15.33 ± 3.32 pounds respectively. The results of milk flow rate (pound/minute) revealed a significant effect of machine milking in the milk flow rate (P < 0.05). The mean of milk flow rate of machine milking was 2.34 ± 0.30, where is that of hand milking was 1.888 ± 0.262. Milk quality, measured by SCC was evaluated by collection of samples from six farms: Two farms was machine milk (Arab Company Farms and Sudan University Farm) and four farms used hand milking (Sudan University Farm, Jebel Torria, Kuku and iii Maygoma). The statistical analysis revealed significant differences (P < 0.05) between the hand milking and machine milking group. The results showed a significant difference (P < 0.05) between the hand and machine milking with means 655.167 ± 88.133 and 389.167 ± 60.131 Scc/ml (1000) respectively. The data indicated that the maximum and minimum SCC were observed in Jebel Torria and Arab Company respectively. For number of cows handled per person the study showed that in machine milking (by mobile milking machine) one stockman can handle an average of 12 cows compared to 5 cows handled per person by hand milking. A significant different (P < 0.05) were observed with respect to the number of cows handled per person.