MUELLER has been cooling milk on a daily basis at the Mallon family’s Toomebridge farm for more than two decades.
Owned by Dan Mallon and son Michael, the farm is home to the 95-cow Cargin Holstein herd.
Six-months ago the farm’s DX milk cooler was replaced with an 8,000 litre tank from Mueller’s P model range. The bulk milk cooler, which features Mueller’s flagship MIII control panel, was part of a substantial investment which included a new milking parlour at the County Antrim farm.
Michael Mallon is a successful fitness coach and personal trainer. Gyms were closed during the pandemic, and Michael’s natural progression was to full-time farming.
“During the first lockdown I was working on the farm full-time, which prompted us to take the decision to modernise the milking facilities. Returning to the farm was always the long-term goal, but Covid brought about my career change sooner than anticipated.”
Mueller has an unrivalled reputation for durability, efficiency and reliability. The tank was supplied and fitted by County Antrim agent Wilson Milk Tanks.
Cecil Wilson said: ”The re-conditioned tank is exceptionally clean, and has underwent a rigorous quality inspection. It was supplied with a one-year warranty, and boasts Mueller’s digital E-Star HiPerForm system.”
Michael added: “Our original Mueller tank was slow to bring milk to the desired temperature. The new tank is fast and efficient, and the milk is cooled when we have finished milking and washing the plant.
“Installing the new parlour has significantly reduced milking time; while the rapid cooling ability and increased storage capacity of the bulk tank has reduced energy and transport costs, and helps lower the farm’s carbon footprint,” added Michael.
“The old DX tank served us well, and we had no hesitation in buying another Mueller bulk cooler from Wilson Milk Tanks. The company offers a reliable and efficient back-up service. The tank is farmer-friendly, and everything is fully automated. I also like the bottom fill design which means there is no build-up of foam in the tank.”
The Cargin pedigree herd pro-duces milk for Lakeland Dairies. The herd is milked twice daily and is currently averaging 32 litres per cow per day at 4.30 per cent butterfat and 3.27 per cent protein. The farm has an average SCC of 99, and TBC is four.
Over the years the Mallons have placed strong emphasis on breeding cows with longevity, sound legs and feet, well attached udders, and the capability of producing milk with good components. The herd calves from September through to April, and heifers calve into the herd at between 20 and 24 months of age.
Daughters of high-ranking sires such as Crimson, Top Shot and Recoil are currently milking in the herd, with Nacash daughters due to calve into the herd in the autumn. AI bulls featuring in the breeding programme include Penman Pra-ser and the top PLI sire Winstar Altaregulus.
Mueller bulk milk coolers are seamless and manufactured from polished stainless steel. They are available in three models – the low-profile oval design (O model), the narrow profile circular model (P), and the vertical silo. Each model comes in a wide range of sizes and features a watertight outer vessel, adjustable legs, and a lockable outlet.
“Boasting decades of experience, Mueller is ranked as one of the best-selling bulk refrigeration systems in the world,” added Cecil Wilson. “The company’s bulk milk coolers are designed to combine rapid cooling ability with low energy consumption. Mueller’s patented HiPerForm cooling technology has been proven to reduce electricity usage by up to 27 per cent.”
Mueller’s MIII control panel is a standard feature on all horizontal tanks and vertical silos. It’s modern design incorporates ‘quick wash’ cleaning, complete with an automated detergent and acid dosage control system. Built-in Milk Guard technology records milk cooling temperatures and times, and water washing temperatures. This data is stored for up to six months.
The farmer-friendly digital panel also includes an audio and visual alarm which alerts the user if a problem occurs. The system can also send alert messages to mobile phones.
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