Dairy chit chat II

Doctor Shivering

So I've only saved about €60,000

Timmaay

Talking about plate coolers and saving money, anyone use solar heating for water? Using an electric 300l water heater with twin elements on it, it has to be costing several Euro a day to run. Any rough idea on the cost of a solar setup, and what sort of payback?

blackdog1

Timmaay wrote:

Talking about plate coolers and saving money, anyone use solar heating for water? Using an electric 300l water heater with twin elements on it, it has to be costing several Euro a day to run. Any rough idea on the cost of a solar setup, and what sort of payback?

There are new ones that heat the water in tubes on the roof and then they can either be piped straight down or into a water heater for further heating. Think they heat from 45degrees up ideal for feeding milk replacer. Think they're about 1500, was thinking of looking into one myself as I've a new shed with a nice southern facing roof.

Signpost

I priced to solar and got a quote of 3k but there is some grant that pays about 50% ish. The sales rep told me though it would never pay to throw out an electric one and put it in so wait for the electric to pack it in and then fit the new one. Felt it an unusual sales strategy but electric still going fine!

GrasstoMilk

What about gas tim? Be going that route here when ever the electric heater packs in here

Timmaay

GrasstoMilk wrote: »

What about gas tim? Be going that route here when ever the electric heater packs in here

What's the capital outlay of gas? Running costs in comparison to electricity? Warm water from the platecooler still largely running away here, which is fairly criminal and definitely the lowest hanging fruit for me, I would use It as a feed into the water heater (already at say 25deg), other than we need to soften the water going into anything with an element here, and to do that I'd have to soften the 2/3kl of water going through the platecooler for the sake of the 200l I might use per day with the hot water.

Mooooo

Timmaay wrote: »

What's the capital outlay of gas? Running costs in comparison to electricity? Warm water from the platecooler still largely running away here, which is fairly criminal and definitely the lowest hanging fruit for me, I would use It as a feed into the water heater (already at say 25deg), other than we need to soften the water going into anything with an element here, and to do that I'd have to soften the 2/3kl of water going through the platecooler for the sake of the 200l I might use per day with the hot water.

Collect water going thru cooler and connect to s volume washer and large water trough exiting parlour

Mooooo

Anyone install heat recovery from tank compressors?

Timmaay

Mooooo wrote: »

Collect water going thru cooler and connect to s volume washer and large water trough exiting parlour

Should of said Ive the volume washer with one IBC tank. At peak litres, assuming I'm getting the ratio of 2l water to each litre of milk I'd have something like 5kl of water per day, and would use about 500l max washing the parlour. But yeh the water trough is the plan, I've another 2 IBCs sitting here to be plumbed in, would collect almost all the water then assuming the cows drink a decent bit at each milking.

GrasstoMilk

Timmaay wrote: »

What's the capital outlay of gas? Running costs in comparison to electricity? Warm water from the platecooler still largely running away here, which is fairly criminal and definitely the lowest hanging fruit for me, I would use It as a feed into the water heater (already at say 25deg), other than we need to soften the water going into anything with an element here, and to do that I'd have to soften the 2/3kl of water going through the platecooler for the sake of the 200l I might use per day with the hot water.

Not sure on either but friend out it in and says he got the value of it back in 2 years with what it cost.
Instant hot water

freedominacup

Mooooo wrote: »

Anyone install heat recovery from tank compressors?

Unless the tech has moved on hugely forget about it. Cnut of a yoke.

Timmaay

freedominacup wrote: »

Unless the tech has moved on hugely forget about it. Cnut of a yoke.

Yeh we had one and it never worked great, and put unnecessary pressure on the bulk tank compressor. Alot of bulk tank manufacturers aren't too keen at all on putting them in for this reason.

Wildsurfer

Has anyone purchased a delvotest to check milk for antibiotics? Just see Dairygold selling kit for €230. Would save the odd mad dash to lab with milk samples. I presume they're accurate or they wouldn't be selling them?

kowtow

Timmaay wrote: »

What's the capital outlay of gas? Running costs in comparison to electricity? Warm water from the platecooler still largely running away here, which is fairly criminal and definitely the lowest hanging fruit for me, I would use It as a feed into the water heater (already at say 25deg), other than we need to soften the water going into anything with an element here, and to do that I'd have to soften the 2/3kl of water going through the platecooler for the sake of the 200l I might use per day with the hot water.

What kind of water heater do you have?

The big atlantic type ones which we have are mains pressure, I was wondering how best to feed one with recycled warm water rather than well water?

Thinking of a big solar roof corriboard & clearsheet at €100+ if you don't want to spend thousands) and the plate cooler .. pumped to a high up insulated tank and then gravity / booster pump into water heater?

I know you can also buy stainless steel dairy heaters which run on timers and are not mains pressure... maybe they would be a better bet?

Mooooo

Wildsurfer wrote: »

Has anyone purchased a delvotest to check milk for antibiotics? Just see Dairygold selling kit for €230. Would save the odd mad dash to lab with milk samples. I presume they're accurate or they wouldn't be selling them?

There similar to what's used in the lab. It takes 3 hours for a result tho so if only for bulk samples it's safer but if checking cows mainly the snap or charm tests would be better as they of take a few minutes.

freedominacup

kowtow wrote: »

What kind of water heater do you have?

The big atlantic type ones which we have are mains pressure, I was wondering how best to feed one with recycled warm water rather than well water?

Thinking of a big solar roof corriboard & clearsheet at €100+ if you don't want to spend thousands) and the plate cooler .. pumped to a high up insulated tank and then gravity / booster pump into water heater?

I know you can also buy stainless steel dairy heaters which run on timers and are not mains pressure... maybe they would be a better bet?

Water from the pkatecooler is not suitable for washing or final rinse of milking plant. We use it for first rinse of plant after milking. Recovery system is two 40 gal plastic barrels with the top cut off. We keep a few barrels filling at the top of parlour also. Great to sluice down the rows when the inevitable happens with slow milkings this time of year. There's always a plan to feed a tank for wash down hose but it never gets done. We could never get cows to drink out flow from the platecooler though I've seen cows beating the crap out each other to get to a trough with platecooler water in other yards.

Kt we have a stainless mains pressure water heater here. Two years done now which is about the run of it for ordinary ones in this area. I'll get the make and model and post it later.

kowtow

freedominacup wrote: »

Water from the pkatecooler is not suitable for washing or final rinse of milking plant. We use it for first rinse of plant after milking. Recovery system is two 40 gal plastic barrels with the top cut off. We keep a few barrels filling at the top of parlour also. Great to sluice down the rows when the inevitable happens with slow milkings this time of year. There's always a plan to feed a tank for wash down hose but it never gets done. We could never get cows to drink out flow from the platecooler though I've seen cows beating the crap out each other to get to a trough with platecooler water in other yards.

Kt we have a stainless mains pressure water heater here. Two years done now which is about the run of it for ordinary ones in this area. I'll get the make and model and post it later.

I didn't realise you could use it for the first rinse, but if you can that's a seriously good idea. You'll get a much better wash because you aren't solidifying the fats and the film with freezing rinse water.

I have a very old plate cooler I keep meaning to try out, I suspect it might be impossible to clean up and cause more problems than it saves though.

Buford T. Justice XIX

freedominacup wrote: »

Water from the pkatecooler is not suitable for washing or final rinse of milking plant. We use it for first rinse of plant after milking. Recovery system is two 40 gal plastic barrels with the top cut off. We keep a few barrels filling at the top of parlour also. Great to sluice down the rows when the inevitable happens with slow milkings this time of year. There's always a plan to feed a tank for wash down hose but it never gets done. We could never get cows to drink out flow from the platecooler though I've seen cows beating the crap out each other to get to a trough with platecooler water in other yards.

Kt we have a stainless mains pressure water heater here. Two years done now which is about the run of it for ordinary ones in this area. I'll get the make and model and post it later.

We always used it here and tbcs rarely above 20 and then only with a problem in the plant itself. Advisor said it can be used for rinsing if used straight away but not if storing it for use later. Something about microbial growth with warmer water in storage.

Water John

Correct Buford, microbes would double every 20 mins in warm water. Fine if used straight away.

kowtow

Buford T. Justice V wrote: »

We always used it here and tbcs rarely above 20 and then only with a problem in the plant itself. Advisor said it can be used for rinsing if used straight away but not if storing it for use later. Something about microbial growth with warmer water in storage.

That's what I understood, although if you are feeding the hot water heater with it it's going to kill most bacteria once it gets to 80c odd anyway, no different to any indirect hot water system.

The other thing which crossed my mind was to have a big source of "warmed" water - insulated tank, perhaps, or whatever, and feed it through a UV filter on the way out of the tank. Wouldn't that put it beyond doubt for washing etc?

cute geoge

Heating a 300l stainless heater on night rate is not going to break the bank instead of messing with water off a cooler .One high tbc wont be long learning you .
KSS KEEP IT SIMPLE

Signpost

cute geoge wrote: »

KSS KEEP IT SIMPLE

KISS - KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID

Buford T. Justice XIX

ICBF are ringing around about the test bull programme for the coming year. I'm pulling out this year, I'm not happy with the allocations I have been given since the start so I'll just use last years high EBI bulls on bull-of-the-day with Munster.

It's a pity because I think it's a programme that should be supported:(

freedominacup

freedominacup wrote: »

Water from the pkatecooler is not suitable for washing or final rinse of milking plant. We use it for first rinse of plant after milking. Recovery system is two 40 gal plastic barrels with the top cut off. We keep a few barrels filling at the top of parlour also. Great to sluice down the rows when the inevitable happens with slow milkings this time of year. There's always a plan to feed a tank for wash down hose but it never gets done. We could never get cows to drink out flow from the platecooler though I've seen cows beating the crap out each other to get to a trough with platecooler water in other yards.

Kt we have a stainless mains pressure water heater here. Two years done now which is about the run of it for ordinary ones in this area. I'll get the make and model and post it later.

Joule, cyclone cy200l direct is the model. Max water supply pressure 10bar.

Wildsurfer

As ye are talking about it I installed the gas water heating system this week. 2 burners 3K all in. So far seems a dream job, hot water when you need it on demand. That includes a free tank of gas. Tank rental 50 euro a year. Service 90 euro a year. Estimated usage is a tank per year costing approx €600.

Signpost

Anyone any ideas where I could buy new milk buckets (dump buckets they might be called?)
Ones here are ancient and can't find seals for them to fix them up. Don't have jars so milk directly into these for cows not in the tank.
Was exactly these we have - http://www.adverts.ie/other-antiques-collectables/antique-alfa-laval-milk-bucket/1772151 - but not sure what the modern day replacement is!

Mooooo

Signpost wrote: »

Anyone any ideas where I could buy new milk buckets (dump buckets they might be called?)
Ones here are ancient and can't find seals for them to fix them up. Don't have jars so milk directly into these for cows not in the tank.
Was exactly these we have - http://www.adverts.ie/other-antiques-collectables/antique-alfa-laval-milk-bucket/1772151 - but not sure what the modern day replacement is!

Your coop should be able to get em in or else the parlour serviceman should have em. I think Delaval do most of those type accessories as such. 30L clear graduated plastic ones. Handy as you can see if a cow is gonna fill it and it'll have the volume for recording or whatever

Wildsurfer

Signpost wrote: »

Anyone any ideas where I could buy new milk buckets (dump buckets they might be called?)
Ones here are ancient and can't find seals for them to fix them up. Don't have jars so milk directly into these for cows not in the tank.
Was exactly these we have - http://www.adverts.ie/other-antiques-collectables/antique-alfa-laval-milk-bucket/1772151 - but not sure what the modern day replacement is!

Whatever you do get the one where the handle of the bucket swings up to lock the lid in place so the lid doesn't keep falling off when your hooking on the milk pipe to it. Also the one I have has the connections on the lid at a 90 degree angle. Couldn't figure out why at first but realised why when a cow Sh1t down on top of it one day when I had finished milking a cow and had pipes off, nothing gets into your nice colostrum.

visatorro

Wildsurfer wrote: »

Whatever you do get the one where the handle of the bucket swings up to lock the lid in place so the lid doesn't keep falling off when your hooking on the milk pipe to it. Also the one I have has the connections on the lid at a 90 degree angle. Couldn't figure out why at first but realised why when a cow Sh1t down on top of it one day when I had finished milking a cow and had pipes off, nothing gets into your nice colostrum.

I ordered one off fane Valley, you use a bungee cord to keep on the lid. I'd imagine the handle would be a better job.
Make sure you get the right size fittings for your suction hoses, ordered a replacement lid with smaller sized fittings it's a disaster.

poor farmer

Question. What are lad using to mark cows for OAD milking.
I have been using ankle bands but inevitably some of them always manage to loose them.