The launch of a new company, Milk-Rite, by Melksham-based Avon Technical Products is set to revolutionise the way dairy farmers in the UK, France, Ireland and Germany buy the rubber milking machine cluster liners and parlour tubing they use every time they milk their cows. In addition, the company's range of liners – Ultraliner – encompasses innovations and technology which have previously only been available to dairy farmers in the USA.
Milk-Rite is being launched at the Dairy Event at Stoneleigh Park in the UK (September 17th and 18th), SPACE at Rennes in France (September 16th – 19th) and the World Ploughing Match in Ireland on 23rd - 25th September.
The milking machine liner is the only component that actually touches the cow during the milking process and is held in a cluster that the herdsman attaches to each cow's udder in order for milking to take place. Because of this, it is very important that farmers frequently replace these liners to maintain milk quality and udder health. Traditionally, they have been bought replacement liners from a dealer network linked to the manufacturer of the entire milking parlour. What many don't realise is that Avon has been making the manufacturer's branded liners for the past 80 years. Now, the launch of Milk-Rite offers farmers the chance to buy liners or tubing from the company that has probably always made their liners anyway, either direct or through Milk-Rite's own distribution channel.
"Avon liners milk approximately 11 million cows around the world already, but under another company's brandname," explains Sales and Marketing Director, Neil Carpenter. "Our considerable experience and understanding of this critical part of the milking process will now be the driving force behind our new range – Ultraliner. These new, innovative liners will make use of new technologies, some of which are already used by Milk- Rite in the USA which has been in existence for over 20 years."
To prepare for this launch, Avon has undertaken trial work at some of Europe's leading dairy farming research institutes with the aim of better understanding the relationship between the liner and the udder and subsequently, cow health.
"We now know, for example, that leaving a liner in the cluster for too long can cause some discomfort to the cow," Dr Carpenter says. "Likewise, we have also examined the relationship between the liner and milk composition, and will use this understanding to work with farmers to improve cow health and milk quality."
