Milking cows, GEA herringbone parlour

Viewers have been asking for a milking video for some time now, it's finally here.

[@ronalddias8519]

Really enjoyed the video. Thank you so much for showing and explaining every aspect of your milking protocol. You have a real nice setup. Thank you again.

[@islandjohnnyboy2495]

Just catching up with your earlier vids as I'm a new viewer. Really top class, and great to see an in depth explanation of a well maintained and operated parlour.

[@marcusrichards6588]

thanks Dan, brings back memories of milking many years ago. it is much more streamlined and hygienic now! all looks much cleaner than i am used to.

[@davidlongman2341]

I was wondering if you milked twice a day, normally do, and someone asked that question. How you manage to find time to do general farm work beats me. Time you prep the parlour, milk, clean, top up the feed hoppers, shift slurry, must be time to start again. Any general work must be done with one eye on the time. And up early every morning. If the parlour gets cold enough to freeze it must be cold to work in during the winter too. Get some heating for pitys sake. Good channel to watch. I worked on a farm about 45 years ago as an agricultural student, lasted a year, realised after the first year was up that it was all about to start again and bailed out. It is a hard, cold, and sometimes dangerous way to earn a living. I had hobby farmed up to that point as a kid, driving tractors and having fun, full time? sod that. Hats off to you and those who do the same job. We need you to do it, and should appreciate what you go through to support the farming industry. I opted not to do it but I'm glad people like you still do.

[@MrPaul1f]

You have a great parlour setup, almost all the niggles ive had with various other parlours ive been in are covered here. A really intresting video, thanks for making it.

[@davestewart9180]

What a clean, well maintained parlour. Many thanks

[@nicholadstoap6944]

I love the way you treat your cows with so much respect there like pets

[@tobytractor711]

Thanks for the milking video Dan, I really enjoyed it. I really miss milking cows.

[@seamusmurphy2877]

Well done Dan grate set up grate video. Lovely stock and parlor

[@neusac4590]

Nice video Dan, you do all this by yourself I gathered. I loved your cloths conservative methods. 🐴👍👍🇺🇸

[@gabrielbrookesagri9752]

Very informative video , Thank You for the awesome video dan!👍 very interesting to see the milking routine!😁👍

[@phil2114]

Lovely to see a well maintained farm.

[@casto-]

Great vid Dan, really well walked through 👍

[@alastairmccormick397]

Very thorough and great care taken with machine and cows, well done! We have a few differences but fundamentally the same and end up with a very similar result 🐄🐄🐄. Thank you and Happy farming.

[@yant8777]

Excellent vid.You have a very good routine.Thanks for showing us.

[@MrPaul1f]

Its been a long time now since i was milking but im really impressed with the reusable wipes.

[@wendybaker4193]

Tom Pemberton sent me.... new viewer .... really enjoy your videos.... thank you ❤️

[@kylesullivan3114]

Really good video Dan last time I milked it was in an old in line cowshed were they all had there own stall how things have changed

[@edwestgate6355]

Hi Dan, another great video as ever! Would you consider ever extending your parlour and if you built it again what size would you go for for your 140 cows?

[@CowfarmerDan]

No, I wouldn't extend it, 14 units is enough for 1 man operation.

[@nathanu425]

Very informative video must say I appreciate your high hygiene and husbandry standards Dan. Whereabouts do you farm trying to place the accent. I worked on a farm in the Yorkshire Dales in the 70s . I appreciate your efforts keeps me in touch with farming and though went different career path still miss it kind regards Michael

[@Massey-qb6cm]

Fantastic video again Dan! One thing I would like to know is what's your milking times morning and night and how long is milking taking!? Also would you consider looking at a teat brush to clean the udder before milking? We've installed the system into ours and has shaved off 20 minutes off each milking.

[@CowfarmerDan]

We have looked at the brush system, it's quite tempting. Milking times are 6am and 4pm. Milking takes a couple of hours.

[@garypeake3395]

Great video dan lovely herd of cow's just wondering what make the cluster flush is

[@CowfarmerDan]

It's Airwash. Since we bought the system it has changed into Airwash plus which dips as well as flushes.

[@jdkworld97]

great video! Thanks

[@trevorknox8140]

Great video, is it a problem when the feeders aren’t linked to the meters. Do you update the meal feeding from milk recording monthly or have you your own system?

[@CowfarmerDan]

We update monthly from the milk recording.

[@mikeysky8917]

Fantastic video. What happens if a cow isn’t read by the scanner? Does the system alert you somehow? Our Delaval is a pain in the butt. One scanner on each side. If the scanner doesn’t read a cow entering the parlour, you have to climb up the stall work and read the cows tag and see if it corresponds to its panel so we can identify what cow wasn’t read. We have had to memorise every cows tag number in our head to get around climbing stall workout. Solves our issue but doesn’t help if we get a relief milking in for the evening or morning.

[@CowfarmerDan]

The cows are all freeze branded so easy to find out if it doesn't read the tag.

[@ipfreely10001]

Found it Dan after I asked yesterday about a milking vid!! Just one thing, who's the good looking clean shaven guy in the video 😂😂

[@CowfarmerDan]

He used to hang around here quite a lot, haven't seen him for a while though 🤣

[@marcinlabno7061]

Tom Pemberton send me here, subscribed👌🏼👌🏼👌🏼👌🏼👌🏼

[@antonyfarming]

Fantastic video thanks How many are you milking? How long does it take? Is it just you or does someone else milk aswell?

[@CowfarmerDan]

140 takes a couple of hours alone, much quicker with help.

[@FarmerP]

Good video Dan, a pretty comprehensive description of a dairy mans “twice a day” job, folks just need to add your other videos together now to complete the other eight hours you work, on top of the parlour time. 👍

[@CowfarmerDan]

Thamks Farmer P!

[@FarmerP]

CowfarmerDan Praise where it’s due Dan, I learn a lot from your videos, never being involved with milking cattle, my father sold our herd when I was a very little chap.👍

[@CowfarmerDan]

I'm learning how to riddle top soil at the moment from a chap who needs a new leading edge on his loader bucket 😁

[@FarmerP]

CowfarmerDan Haha, thanks for reminding me, that was supposed to have been done weeks ago, I need to chase my engineer👍

[@CowfarmerDan]

If you fancy taking the bucket on a trip to sunny Wiltshire one Sunday morning I'll weld it on for you.

[@vasilychukov7678]

Great video! Your parlour is very modern. My parents one doesn't have any measuring devices, computers, or automatic tag scanners. To release the feed, you pull a rope haha. Then we have the problem of cows trying to eat out of other bins once they have eaten their own food. In your opinion, how much of an improvement in time does the automation make?

[@CowfarmerDan]

Big time savings, but it does come at a cost.

[@randolphbutler1832]

Very clean procedure. Much attention to detail. Do you raise your own replacement stock? Any Guernseys in you herd ?

[@CowfarmerDan]

We rear most of our own but do buy a few in. We don't have any Guernseys.

[@chrisbennett8538]

Nice parlor I love that accent!

[@OutofTownwithRobinBell]

Lovey clean parlour 👍

[@freddieduring7161]

Great video. How many days does it take from calving before the milk can be used for human consumption?

[@CowfarmerDan]

4 days

[@davidsullivan6635]

Great video, nice parlour. How many cows are you milking at present and what’s your thoughts about robotic milking

[@CowfarmerDan]

140 cows, robotic milking is a good thing, but it needs to be set up and managed correctly to work properly.

[@kevinevans7236]

First time viewer. Just stumbled across one of your videos, very informative. We milk 280 odd Holsteins in a 20x20 herringbone. If I’m on my own it takes 4 hours at least add to that the cleaning down. 👍🏻

[@finnbrennan1676]

You must be a slow milker

[@finnbrennan1676]

We milk 280 in a 15 double up herringbone and it takes 2 hours

[@michaelwalsh9145]

Two questions, does the ACR under milk sone cows where you have to reattach the unit on those cows? Can you attach the milk meters to a computer if you wanted to? After watching the entire video I’ve another question, do you get many cases of mastitis during the year, ? Id imagine not with the pre milking routine and the dipping and the cluster flush between cows. Another question, do you get a premium for your milk supplying Cadbury’s over farmers that supply milk for manufacturing?

[@afarmerslife2092]

Great video

[@stephanierobinson1081]

If just all farmers took the time you take Dan and do the job right! Fantastic set up and meticulous methods...... Would feel safe to drink your milk raw!! ☺☺

[@CowfarmerDan]

Thanks Stephanie

[@ianpower3789]

probably won't notice this comment but why do you feed the first cow in first but milk it last?

[@bobpaterson1845]

Is the milking process always just a one man operation 🤔how long does it take to milk the herd ??👍👍👍

[@CowfarmerDan]

Not always 1 man, a couple of hours on my own but quicker with 2.

[@chrisbennett8538]

Only one thing I'd do differently I'd have some Cash playing in my parlor and A little Hank Jr lol

[@CowfarmerDan]

How do you know I don't? Just can't play it out on KZbin 🤣

[@dougpeterson5257]

The chocolate is available in Canada and I live about 40 miles away so am able to get it when I visit. Not this year however.

[@barbjudson1256]

Thankyou for a great video! How often is the milk collected from your tank?

[@CowfarmerDan]

Every other day.

[@joaniejones5114]

Dan, do you thank that any one who has no experience can become a good relief milker , like myself who is applying to become one.Can you give me any good advice please .

[@stevengraham5225]

Great video how many cows are you milking

[@CowfarmerDan]

140

[@chrisward4206]

Milked cows in 1 like that back in the 70s we had glass bowls for each unit how do you see if a cow has mastitis do you draw milk off first

[@CowfarmerDan]

Yes, foremilking.

[@marcusbrodie7234]

Really good video dan very well explained i think I saw you Shaftesbury sale I think fri 28th Feb

[@CowfarmerDan]

I was there, a viewer said hello, was that you?

[@marcusbrodie7234]

Yes it was me how many cows do you milk

[@jerryodriscoll3691]

Do the acrs 'turn off' the pressure from the pump on that line ance the cluster is pulled off? Or is the vacuum pressure constant in all lines at all times during milking

[@CowfarmerDan]

Vacuum is shut off as soon as the ACR pulls the cord. The pulsator stops after a couple of seconds too.

[@jerryodriscoll3691]

@@CowfarmerDan did you ever think of putting in a double up parlour so for instance 20 units and 20 spaces for cows so 10 a side or would that have to be a 2 man operation with wiping the teats and teat dipping? Or would it matter

[@CowfarmerDan]

A swing over is faster unless you have very high yields. Our cross breeds give lower yields but higher milk solids. We didn't consider doubling up the units.

[@unbigmacpourgignac8301]

How long does it take to milk all cows?

[@CowfarmerDan]

A couple of hours

[@andreas515c2]

Hi Dan, maybe I missed it, how many cows do you have? What is daily quantity of milk by cow? Farm on, Andreas

[@CowfarmerDan]

We have around 140 cows, 7500 litres per year.

[@adrianmorris4560]

The blue on the walls of the parkour walls is that paint or in the plaster?

[@MrPaul1f]

Fiberglass i think

[@devito501]

@@MrPaul1f no its 4mm plastic sheeting called hygiene board .

[@CowfarmerDan]

It's plastic cladding.

[@adrianmorris4560]

CowfarmerDan it looks really well, I’m just started on the construction of a new swing over Delaval 12 unit parlour and I really like that finish.

[@devito501]

Adrian Morris take a look at the parlour we put in at the farm I work at . It’s a 12 swing over . Leave a comment if you like .

[@joaniejones5114]

I’ve had no experience as a relief Milker,but I really want to apply for this available job. Is there any maths involved with this job . I am so keen to apply but have no knowledge on milking .Have you advice for me that would help me with an interview that I will have to attend please

[@glenkoopman7347]

Jaysus that's a big plate cooler for 140 cows swear our double cooler, water and chilled glycol is smaller than that for 330 cows

[@CowfarmerDan]

It was a double cooler, chilled water and bore hole water. The ice builder is beyond economical repair so we put the borehole water through both sides.

[@shakey5623]

How many cows do you milk

[@CowfarmerDan]

100

[@andrewgould3278]

Are your cows shorthorn crosses?

[@CowfarmerDan]

We have some pure Shorthorns, and Swedish Red crosses.

[@nickaf5262]

Yes I love watching milking but don’t like doing it myself 👍

[@joaniejones5114]

Nick, Can you tell me why you don’t like milking please. I have applied for a relief milker, I have no experience at all .Should. I Give the idea of becoming a milker up,? I am willing to learn every thing that it involves, can you help me with any of you knowledge . Maxine

[@deanharrison2490]

Been a few years since we built that 👌

[@CowfarmerDan]

Don't mention the roof 🤣

[@tommawle8896]

What’s your SCC?

[@CowfarmerDan]

Around 180

[@killianoconnell2506]

How many cows do you milk and how long does it take ?

[@CowfarmerDan]

140 takes a couple of hours

[@markb1487]

We milked cows for nearly 40 years, in a old shed with pipeline and buckets,, crappy pulsators,, churns,, etc etc,,, going up between cows to put the units on,, not great,,, but great video

[@robmalkin6863]

We have 3, sometimes 4 of us in a 8 a side parlour , it's quite embarrassing but that's how it's always been, i do wonder how you can cope on your own though with feisty heifers kicking them off all the time .

[@joshrobinson5821]

How many cows you milking

[@CowfarmerDan]

140 at peak.

[@louissarsfield2870]

tut tut putting units on last cow when u started on first dan ! milk lag time

[@aministratorgeneral.9298]

Why are some cows teats allready squirting out, when you get to them..

[@unbigmacpourgignac8301]

peter humphries the sound of the parlour can make them leak sometimes

[@davidwhittredge3416]

Peter, after washing the cows teets she relaxes & starts to let her milk down sometimes leaking.

[@CowfarmerDan]

It's called milk let down, caused by the time delay between teat preparation and start of milking. Leakage immediately before milking is a good thing.

[@craigmellor75]

How many cows do you milk and how many times per day..?

[@CowfarmerDan]

140 twice a day

[@greggroome2791]

👍👍🇮🇪🇮🇪🙏🙏

[@davidwhittredge3416]

Dan do you always milk alone?

[@CowfarmerDan]

Alone in the morning, not always in the afternoon.

[@alanolearyalan151]

Hi

[@CowfarmerDan]

Hi

[@seimonlloyd4234]

nothing better than nz style farming, no teat clean, nothing, just good old milking from cheap lush grass

[@aministratorgeneral.9298]

excelent video, and very interesting.. (Have you ever gotten peed on or pooped on,,) "had to ask.."

[@CowfarmerDan]

Yes

[@andrewjardine7226]

Wood it not been faster with two rows of unet we milk 20.20 two hours and job dun

[@CowfarmerDan]

A swing over is faster unless you have very high yields.