Chemistry: analytical and immunological testing – Food or dairy products – Dairy product
Reexamination Certificate
1996-09-04
2001-11-27
Warden, Jill (Department: 1743)
Chemistry: analytical and immunological testing
Food or dairy products
Dairy product
C205S787000, C134S018000, C134S022110
Reexamination Certificate
active
06323033
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a dairy farm method of cleaning a milk line system of a milking apparatus. In particular, the invention relates to methods and apparatus for cleaning a milk line system wherein the animals are milked automatically by milking robots.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In such apparatus the milk line system has to be periodically cleaned to prevent milk discharged by the milk line system from being contaminated and hence from deteriorating. In the conventional milking machines, the line system is cleaned after the herd has been milked. In the case of automatic milking by milking robots, the milk line system is cleaned after a certain period of time has elapsed or a predetermined number of animals has been milked. The milk line system may also be cleaned when it has been ascertained that milk produced by an animal which is infected with mastitis or another condition that adversely affects its milk is discharged by the line.
The cleaning of the milk line system is divided into three phases, the pre-rinsing, the main cleaning and the post-rinsing. The pre-rinsing serves to remove the milk residues as much as possible from the system prior to the main cleaning. Consequently, the main cleaning will require less detergent. In order to achieve this, the pre-rinsing should not be a circulation rinsing. For the pre-rinsing the temperature of the water is 40° to maximum of 60° C. (104° F.-140° F.). The pre-rinsing is succeeded by the main cleaning. The main cleaning serves to clean and disinfect the equipment. This is realized by circulating a cleaning fluid. The cleaning is mostly effected with an alkali having a cleaning or disinfecting function or both. In order to avoid formation of scale in the milk line system, said system has also to be cleaned from time to time with an acid. With the acid, scale formed in the milk line system, such as on the electrodes of a milk conductivity sensor, can be dissolved and thus removed from the milk line system. After the main cleaning, the milk line system has to be cleaned by means of post-rinsing. This is to prevent residues of the cleaning fluid from coming into the milk. The post-rinsing is effected with tap water. The post-rinsing water should preferably not circulate.
In practice it has been found that mistakes occur during cleaning of the milk production equipment, as a result of which this equipment is cleaned insufficiently and consequently the germ count of the milk more than doubles. This may be caused by an insufficient quantity of alkali or acid, or by insufficient post-rinsing, or by the fact that certain places are not reached by the cleaning fluid, because a tube is pinched off, etc.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention aims at providing a method, in which the above-mentioned drawbacks do not occur or are at least limited to a considerable extent.
In accordance with the invention, this is achieved by means of a method of determining the extent to which a milk line system is rinsed with a cleaning fluid, whereby in one or more places in the milk line system the electric conductivity of the cleaning fluid is measured to determine its purity. In this manner, it can be verified that the milk line system has been cleaned adequately. This verification thus avoids an insufficient cleaning of the milk line system and the resulting increased germ count in the milk.
A method in accordance with the invention is that in places which are difficult to reach for the cleaning fluid or in places in the milk line system which are more likely to cause contamination, the electric conductivity of the cleaning fluid is measured.
According to a further method of the invention, the electric conductivity is measured in a line connected to a teat cup. In practice this place has been found susceptible to being contaminated and difficult to reach.
According to a further inventive feature, on the basis of the results of the electric conductivity measuring, the concentration of the solvent present in the cleaning fluid is determined. Thus on the basis of the measuring results it can be checked whether the concentration of solvent in the cleaning fluid is insufficient or excessive. The solvent added to the cleaning fluid is preferably an acid or an alkali. According to a further inventive feature, the concentration of alkali or the concentration of acid in the cleaning fluid is determined. According to again another inventive feature, after the concentration of alkali or acid has been determined, this concentration is compared with a predetermined value for the concentration of alkali/acid and, when said value is not reached, alkali or acid is added to the cleaning fluid until the relevant value has been reached. If this value is exceeded, cleaning fluid is added until the predetermined value has been reached. The correct concentration of the detergent is important for a proper cleaning, for a lower quantity than optimum decreases the cleaning function, whereas a higher quantity results in an unnecessarily high consumption of the detergent and burdens the environment.
According to still another inventive feature, there is applied a method in which, after the milk line system has been rinsed with a cleaning fluid, the milk line system is post-rinsed with a post-rinsing fluid and, during post-rinsing, the concentration of alkali or acid in the milk line system is determined and compared with a predetermined minimum value for the concentration of alkali or acid, and the post-rinsing of the milk line system is only ended when an acceptable minimum value has been reached. In this manner, residues of the cleaning fluid are prevented from mixing with the milk and affecting the quality thereof.
The invention also relates to a method characterized in that the milk line system is rinsed with a calibration fluid containing a known concentration of alkali or acid and that this calibration value is compared with the value of the concentration of alkali or acid measured in the milk line system and that, when the measured value deviates from the calibration value, the means by which the electric conductivity of the fluid is measured are calibrated. In practice it has appeared that the afore-mentioned means show deviations after a period of use. These deviations are caused for example by substances present in the milk, which deposit on the means and which, during cleaning, are unsufficiently removed. Wear of the means may also occur. By calibrating the means contamination measuring, it is possible to continue obtaining reliable measurements from such means.
The invention furthermore relates to the apparatus for applying a method as mentioned above, whereby the apparatus comprises a milk line system with one or more milk conductivity sensors included therein. In practice these milk conductivity sensors are also used for checking the milk for mastitis etc. Thus, in the present invention, milk conductivity sensors known per se are further utilized for another application, that is, for checking the extent the milk line system is cleaned.
In accordance with a further inventive feature, the implement comprises a milk line system in which one or more teat cups are included. According to another inventive feature, there is disposed a milk conductivity sensor in the milk line of a teat cup. In a preferred embodiment according to the invention, each milk line that is connected to a teat cup is provided with a milk conductivity sensor. In this manner an optimal check of the cleaning of the milk lines of the teat cups can be obtained. In accordance with still another inventive feature, the apparatus in which the invention is employed comprises a milking robot for automatically connecting teat cups to the teats of an animal and respectively disconnecting same therefrom. The application of a method as described above in such an apparatus including a milking robot and a milk line system is exceedingly advantageous, because the milking robot operates automatically for long periods of time without the presence and direct supervision of an operating pers
Chaudhry Saeed
Maasland N,V,
Penrose Lucas Albright
Warden Jill
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