Thursday, 06 July 2017 11:55

Many ways to reduce water use, improve efficiency

Written by 
Hot water used for plant clean-up can be reused for cleaning around the dairy shed. Hot water used for plant clean-up can be reused for cleaning around the dairy shed.

Efficient processes for milk cooling, vat wash and yard hosing can add up to significant savings in water.

The following tips from DairyNZ will help identify opportunities to reduce water use and improve efficiency.

Milk cooling efficiency

• The primary milk cooling system should use about two to three times as much water as the volume of milk cooled. If there is a continuous flow of water when milk is coming through the cooler intermittently, more water is being used than necessary. To cut this water use, a solenoid valve can be installed at the inlet to the cooler and linked to the milk pump, or a variable flow drive so water and milk flow match.

• Use correct flow rates through the plate cooler – two to three litres to every litre of milk. Increasing water volume does not decrease water temperature.

• Ensure the plate cooler is serviced regularly and has adequate pumps and water storage to function efficiently. Cleaning and improving the efficiency of plate cooling will require the services of a technician who can align the plate’s spacings correctly.

• Pre-cooling water before it enters the shed can improve water use efficiency as less water is needed to cool milk. 

Reducing plant and vat wash water

• Ensure all refill tanks and cylinders have an automatic shut-off to avoid overflows. Toilet cisterns or trough floats are proven as refill and shut off options.

• Consider heat exchange or pre-heating to improve energy efficiency.

• Seek advice from your detergent rep on litres required for hot/cold wash options.

• Hot water used for plant clean-up can be reused for any cleaning around the dairy shed (e.g. washing out buckets) saving electricity as well as water.

Improving yard washing efficiency

• On warm, sunny days, pre-wet the yard with a hose or sprinkler to help prevent dung from sticking.

• Use a scraper or a chain (inside an old yard hose) on the backing gate to break up dung before hosing.

• Wash the yard after each milking.

• Work the hose water actively and close to the effluent.

• Hose the yard with high water volume under low pressure so you are pushing effluent not spraying it around.

• Include a timer setting on the yard washdown pump. Set a time standard for washdown and train staff to achieve it.

• Consider capturing excess cooler water

Saving tips

Liquid ring vacuum pumps: half the water from liquid ring vacuum pumps can be recycled (as long as the temperature is less than 40°C) and half captured for yard wash. Check the manufacturer’s specifications for your pump as the temperature of the water needs to remain below specific values.

Rotaries: minimise the number of nozzles in the milking shed and consider using water blaster nozzles to reduce flows. Have smooth easy-to-clean surfaces in the dairy and use scrapers to wipe effluent off the rotary to speed up washdown. Consider air blasts or other methods such as floating plastic toys instead of water to get cows to back off.

More like this

Strong uptake of good wintering practices

DairyNZ has seen a significant increase in the number of farmers improving their wintering practices, which results in a higher standard of animal care and environmental protection.

Better animal genetic gain system

A governance group has been formed, following extensive sector consultation, to implement the recommendations from the Industry Working Group's (IWG) final report and is said to be forming a 'road map' for improving New Zealand's animal genetic gain system.

OSPRI's costly software upgrade

Animal disease management agency OSPRI has announced sweeping governance changes as it seeks to recover from the expensive failure of a major software project.

Musical chairs

OPINION: DairyNZ's director elections has seen scientist Jacqueline Rowarth re-elected for another three-year term.

Featured

Massey Research Field Day attracts huge interest

More than 200 people turned out on Thursday, November 21 to see what progress has been made on one of NZ's biggest and most comprehensive agriculture research programmes on regenerative agriculture.

Expo set to wow again

Stellar speakers, top-notch trade sites, innovation, technology and connections are all on offer at the 2025 East Coast Farming Expo being once again hosted in Wairoa in February.

A year of global challenges

As a guest of the Italian Trade Association, Rural News Group Machinery Editor Mark Daniel took the opportunity to make an early November dash to Bologna to the 46th EIMA exhibition.

National

OSPRI's costly software upgrade

Animal disease management agency OSPRI has announced sweeping governance changes as it seeks to recover from the expensive failure of…

Machinery & Products

BA Pumps expand

Cambridge based BA Pumps & Sprayers, specialists in New Zealand-made spraying equipment, has acquired Tokoroa Engineering’s product range, including the…

Entries open for innovation award

Fieldays and its renowned Innovation Awards are celebrating their 57th year, marking a longstanding tradition in the agricultural calendar, with…

» Latest Print Issues Online

Milking It

Chinese strategy

OPINION: Fonterra may have sold its dairy farms in China but the appetite for collaboration with the country remains strong.

Not fair

OPINION: The Listener's latest piece on winter grazing among Southland dairy farmers leaves much to be desired.

» Connect with Dairy News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter