Planning and Starting a New Milking Parlour: Software to Estimate Milking Center Costs and Performance

摘要

Investing in a milking parlor should increase the number of cows milked per person per hour. Other motivating factors include improved working conditions, increased uniformity and quality of milking, and attracting and keeping hired or family labor. These benefits must be weighed against the capital cost of the parlor. There are many factors that will influence the choice of parlor type and size. We have developed software that can be used as a decision aid to choose the size of a new parlor and thetype of equipment to be installed. The software should be used to compare options, not to develop exact cost and performance figures.