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Educational Programs |
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Current Programs: The
lab is a classroom setting in which students can gain hands on
experience with milking system components and is equipped with high and
low level milking machines equipped with the latest milking machines and
automation from all major manufacturers.
The lab is instrumented with data acquisition and control systems
and is equipped to do calibration of vacuum and airflow measuring
equipment. The neighboring
UW Dairy Cattle Research Center milking parlor is available for work
with live animals. The
MRIL and the UW-Madison Team Quality Milk have developed a series of
courses for veterinarians, milking equipment dealers, milking machine
and milk quality consultants, university students, extension agents,
Vo-Ag teachers and other agricultural professionals. The purpose of
these programs is to teach the principles of operation, testing
and cleaning of milking systems. Instruction
is by faculty from the departments of Biological Systems Engineering,
Dairy Science, Food Science, and the School of Veterinary Medicine and
guest lecturers from the milking equipment industry, veterinarians, and
faculty form other universities. The
Introductory courses are designed for those with limited experience with
milking systems evaluation and farm wiring.
Participants will have classroom demonstration and hands-on
experience to demonstrate basic concepts.
Participants will perform those diagnostic measurements that can
be done without special test equipment and gain an understanding of the
interpretation of these tests.
The
intermediate level courses are designed for participants who have had
some previous experience with use of basic testing instruments. Participants will learn how to perform test procedures and
interpret their results. Milking
systems analysis will focus on evaluation of the milking and cleaning
performance of modern milking machines using the latest developments
performance testing. Participants
will perform diagnostic tests and take part in discussions interpreting
these results. Participants will gain knowledge of the latest
installation, performance, and testing standards and design guidelines
for milking systems. Stray
Voltage Analysis is designed for he professional stray voltage
investigator. Participants
will learn how to perform a complete stray voltage investigation.
The
Advanced level courses will focus on interpretation of test results and
make use of case study analysis. Advanced
interpretive methods will be presented.
Participants will then work in small groups on case studies,
which will be presented and discussed with the group.
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