Case Study

Grant & Gaylene Hitchcock, North Waikato

Scope

A 54 bail orbit rotary was installed at Grant Hitchcock’s farm with some of Waikato Milking Systems latest technology. Designed specifically for rotaries a SmartSpray system was installed. SmartSpray is signalled by the automatic cup remover to spray once the cluster has been removed instantly spraying the udder while the teat orifice is still open.

With the installation of the SmartDTECT there is less chance of milk grades at milk collection and an increase in udder health with milk being tested within the first 60 seconds of milking. Linking with the LIC Protrack system cows can be easily drafted saving time at the end of milking.

Qubik installed the on farm pre-cooling and vat refrigeration system. The 30kw Glacier Plus water chiller chills a 25,000L Manicon tank of water to 5⁰C outside of milking time. It then circulates the water during milking through the second stage of the plate cooler reducing milk temperature to 7-10⁰C before entering the milk vat.

With the installation of the water chiller a heat recovery unit was installed, hot water enters the hot water cylinders at a rate of 2-3 litres per minute at a temperature of 50-60⁰C dependant on the incoming water temperature.

Qubik installed the effluent system on farm including the Mono pump and two submersible mixers. The Mono pump has high operating pressure to achieve low application depths, it pumps the same volume of liquid no matter where on farm you irrigate, and with low power usage it eliminates the need to upgrade power supply. Two submersible mixers were installed for homogenisation of heavy sludge or liquids with high solid contents, removes sedimentary deposits, protects the pond liner and prevents nutrient breakdown in large ponds.