Urban collection centers
Introduction
The collection centers fulfill the function of bringing together the production of small producers so that they can compete in quantity and quality in the markets of large urban centers.[1].
Milk collection center
Milk leaves the cow's udder at 32°C. In order to reach the processing plant in good condition, it is necessary to lower the temperature to 4 °C in a short time. At this temperature it proliferates slowly and can maintain its quality for 48-72 hours and then undergo other processes that prolong its usefulness (pasteurization, cheese, etc.).
On large dairy farms (100-200 cows) milking is done mechanically. The milk passes through a pipe from the udder to a plate cooler where the hot milk and water at 2-3 °C pass countercurrently. The temperature of the milk drops to 4º in 1-2 min and goes to a refrigerated tank that maintains that temperature. The processing plant sends refrigerated tank trucks that remove the milk. Before pumping, the driver does a quick quality check: % fat, adulteration (water added), acidity (amount of bacteria).
On medium-sized farms (30-80 cows), far from other farms, they can cool with less investment in direct cooling tanks. The equipment must be such that the temperature of the milk drops to 10º in no more than an hour and a half and to 4º an hour later. When milk is added, the temperature of the stored milk should not rise above 10°C. The tank truck removes the milk every 1-2 days.
In areas of concentration of medium and small farms (10-25 cows) producers have the possibility of establishing a community Collection Center. The equipment includes a receiving scale, a plate cooler, a 1-2º cold water tank, water cooling equipment, a tank to receive cold milk and an emergency generator. Before reception, the center manager checks the quality of the milk to be received. If it does not comply with the rules, it is rejected. The tank truck removes the milk according to the set plan. The cost of maintaining the center is paid with the savings in transportation from each producer to the plant and the security of the quality of the milk.
The choice of the system results from an economic study.[2][3].