This article is devoted to improving the efficiency of the milking process by improving the mode of milk transport by using a two-chamber milking cluster with partial air intake into the milk collecting chamber in the d-phase. Creating a two-chamber cluster with partial air intake will combine the main benefits of operating a milking machine with an alternate and simultaneous pulsator, stabilize the vacuum pressure in the b-phase and create a sufficient pressure gradient in the d-phase. To establish and verify the design parameters of the twochamber milking cluster, a program and methodology for conducting experimental studies have been developed. Experimental samples of the milking cluster and a laboratory stand with the possibility of varying factors were developed for the research. To determine the influence of factors on the amplitude of the oscillation of the vacuum pressure in the collecting chamber of the cluster in the b-phase and in the d-phase compression stroke, a screening factor experiment was performed. It is experimentally established that the vacuum pressure resistance in the b-phase, within the zootechnical requirements, will be at the diameter of the throttle hole within 2-3 mm, and the diameter of the milk hose more than 12 mm. The use of the milk hose d h = 10 mm in combination with the small diameter of the throttle hole gives a vacuum variation from 15 to 17 kPa. This is characterized by insufficient air supply and does not provide a pressure difference for transporting a portion of milk to the milk line. The use a 12 mm diameter milk hose creates a vacuum pressure drop from 18 to 11 kPa. The use of a 14 mm diameter milk hose creates a drop in vacuum pressure within the range of 38 to 27 kPa, which is not enough to transport the milk-air mixture.

Annotation Purpose. Approbation of the method of determining the design parameters of the auger spiral of the feed preparation unit in the preparation of feed components for feeding, taking into account the interaction of elements: auger, knives, hopper walls. Methods. Theoretical determination of the regularities of reducing the radius of the auger, which is in the hopper of the feed preparation unit in the process of preparing the feed mixture, determines the analytical method of research based on compilation and analysis of equations in the interaction of elements: auger, knives, and hopper walls. Experimental researches are carried out with application of methods of the theory of probability, mathematical statistics, planning of full-factor experiment. The analysis of theoretical data and results of experimental researches is executed with application of applied computer programs and systems. Results. In the feed preparation unit the main working body is a vertical auger. In order to determine the optimal design parameters of the working body, expressions are given for the construction of the auger and the rational interaction of elements: auger, knives, and hopper walls. It is experimentally proved that depending on the design and technological parameters of the feed preparation unit there is an impact on the profitability of the livestock industry. In the process of studying the preparation of feed components for feeding, the influence of the screw speed and the number of knives on the specific energy consumption and quality indicators (grinding and mixing) of the feed mixture was considered. Conclusions 1. During the study of the process of preparation of feed mixture for feeding it was found that in the hopper of the feed preparation unit the lower part of the coil performs the function of collecting feed mixture and feeding it in the vertical direction for further mixing in the middle part of the auger through the unloading window of the hopper. The initial radius of the auger turn is equal to the radius of the hopper at the bottom, except for the technological gap. The upper coil with a knife mounted on it provides active destruction of rolls and packs. 2. With increasing speed of the auger n specific energy increases, and the greater the value of the speed, the more intense the impact on grinding and mixing has the number of knives on the auger, with a stepwise effect. It is experimentally proved that the rational values, of the specific energy, obtained by installing on the auger coil 8 knives and the rotor speed of 25 min-1, while the processing time of the feed components is 7 min. Keywords: auger, mixing, number of knives, lower turn, spiral pitch, efficiency.

It is known that improving the process and means of milking can increase the productivity of cows by 25-30%. Perfection of the design, interaction of the parameters and mode of operation of the milking machine have a special impact on the health, productivity of cows and milk quality. Parameters and modes of operation must correspond to the physiological characteristics of the process of milk production. Modern milking machines with a pair of milking cups ensure a stable flow of milk from pairs of teats into the collector chamber, doubling the irritation, which also has a synchronous uniform irritation of teats and udder halves. Milking machines with single action have high stability of milk supply to the collector chamber. Such devices also have much lower intensity of milk production. Improving the milking machine by changing the parameters in the milk cup by changing the operation of the control element (pulsator) will ensure asynchronous operation of the milking cups and increase the number of stimulating teats and udders during milking. A milking machine with paired-combined action is proposed, in which phases alternate during a certain cycle: simultaneous sucking phase in both pairs of milking cups, sucking phase in one when compressed in another pair of cups (milk is excreted in these phases) and simultaneous compression phase in both pairs (in this phase there is udder massage). The rational difference in pulsation frequency in pairs of milking cups is in the range from 0.1 to 0.2 Hz. The proposed mode of the milking machine increases the amount of milk produced during machine milking by 13.9% and its total yield by 8.2%, as well as reduces the duration of machine milking by 1.9… 2.1 times.

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The analysis of the efficiency of the particle sizes of the feed components used in feed rations resulted in proof of the significance of the feed particle size not only while feeding animals with loose dry or wet mixtures but also with feed granules. The study showed that to increase the efficiency of hammer crushers it is relevant to substantiate the parameters of the hammer rotor and the method the raw materials are supplied into the crusher’s working chamber. The experiment involved a stand, which enabled determining the strength of stems while being broken. A sieve classifier was applied to measure the average particle size of the ground products. The rotor speed was monitored electronically and duplicated by a manual tachometer. The average diameter of clover samples was 1.64 mm and correspondingly 3.3 mm of lupine; the length of the samples was 50 and 100 mm. The breaking force on a clover stalk with 13.2% of moisture was 97 N max and 4.4 N min, and correspondingly in the case of a lupine stalk – 22.7 N max and 1.5 N min with 12.3% of moisture. In our case, grinding clover and lupine hay with the minimal energy density Qs, 60 m·s-1 was considered to be the efficient speed of the hammers υм, and the grinding modulus М was within 1.0-1.3 mm. With the different values of the hammer speed and the crusher grinding chamber width of 180 mm, the results of the experimental studies showed that regardless of a supply method and a type of processed raw materials, the output of the ground products was distributed quite unevenly across the width of the working chamber. However, it was found that the peripheral feeding method was significantly more effective than a central one, since the quicker the work was done, the more efficient it became. While at speed υм = 30 m·s-1, the unevenness of the product output under the central supply method was greater than that of the peripheral one only in 8-14%, at speed υм = 75-80 m·s-1 this difference reached 20-32%.