Farm manager Suren Chand shows Fiji’s biggest milking machine, the unit Supamilker. Picture: FT File

In 1985, Fiji installed its biggest and most modern milking machine at a dairy farm in Wainivesi, Tailevu and was owned by Sukulal Holdings Ltd.

The milking plant was called the AHI Supa-milker and unveiled on that year’s New Zealand national field day.

An article in The Fiji Times on September 20, 1985, reported that Sukulal Holdings Ltd had converted its old six-cow conventional walk-through plant to the 16 Supamilker for greater milking speed and efficiency.

The AHI Supamilker incorporated a large bore milk line which also acted as a receiving can.

Milk was pumped directly from the milk line.

The system provided a more stable vacuum along the length of the milk line and since the volume of the receiver can was located in the milk line, vacuum recovery at the claw due to any air increase was more efficient.

As there was no milk disrupting the passage of air along the line, the vacuum regulator could respond more directly to changes at the claw.

Another major feature was the separation of the Supamilker from air in the milk line. With the large bore milk line , the milk dropped to the bottom of the line allowing air to move at high speed over the top of the milk.

Consequently, the turbulence and agitation of milk which occurred in conventional systems as the milk were being transported with the air no longer occurred.

Instead, the milk was able to flow gently down the milk line practically eliminating frothing problems that have occurred in receiving cans .

This also reduced the amount of fat damage to the milk. It also improved free fatty acid problems in milk.

For the cleaning system, a unique reverse flow jotter washing system which had been developed was simple to use and saved heating cost of conventional reverse flow systems.

The AHI representative who installed the plant at Tailevu, Smeaton Craigie, said several unique and distinctive features had been incorporated in the new Supamilker isolation claw. The claw is designed to milk cows efficiently.

Secondly, it was designed with two special isolator features.

“Both were combined to prevent the backward movement of milk droplets form the adjacent quarters, reducing the risk of mastitis infected milk impacting healthy teats, causing new infections.

“Studies at Massey University in Auckland, New Zealand, had proven that the isolator claw reduced incidents of new mastitis infection in cow udders,” Mr Smeaton said.

Sukulal Holdings Ltd farm manager, Suren Chand, who was also a shareholder in the company, said milking time for the 135 milking cows would take one hour instead of the usual three hours for the six-cow plant.

Copyright © 2022 Fiji Times Limited. All Rights Reserved.

Copyright © 2022 Fiji Times Limited. All Rights Reserved.