Anna Baldwin

Last updated

Anna Baldwin (1832-1888) was an American dairy farmer and inventor. She operated a dairy farm in Newark, New Jersey who was most famous for her Hygienic Glove Milker, patented on February 18, 1879.

Contents

Background

Anna Elizabeth Corey Baldwin was born September 7, 1832, to Ashbel W. Corey & Anna Elizbaeth Corey.

Anna married George Thompson Baldwin and had one child, Anna Elizabeth Baldwin, who later married Alexander Muir Linnett. Anna and her husband operated a dairy stand in Newark, New Jersey. [1]

Anna Baldwin died October 6, 1888, at the age of 56 at her residence located at 757 High Street, Newark, New Jersey.

Innovations

From 1860 to the late 1870s, Baldwin filed for total of five patents, one of which was a reissue for an earlier patent, which had a large impact on dairy farming. [1]

Baldwin received her first patent in 1868 for a device that offered an improved method of treating milk in order to produce pomade and butter. This invention would allow farmers to produce pomade and butter at a significantly faster rate, which led to an increase in income.

One year later, in 1869, Baldwin designed two new inventions, one was an improved milk separator and the other was an improved milk cooler. Baldwin would later reissue a patent for her milk cooler to implement some improvements to her design in 1871. Again, the main point being addressed is how to maximize farmers' output for commercial sale and use.

Baldwin's most significant innovation was the Hygienic Glove Milker, which was patented on February 18, 1879. [2] This device was a milking machine that used suction to expedite milk output, by sucking on all four teats at once, and minimizing the strain on the farmers. When she was young, she enjoyed flying kites. The description of the device is a sack or case of elastic rubber that is placed over the udder, the top of the cup contained a contracting band in order to prevent air from entering the case, thus loosening the suction. From there, the tubes are connected to a pump similar to that of a water pump. By using the pump, the user would cause the reciprocating pressure from the air to pull on the cow's udder, producing milk and coming out of the top of the pump into a bucket.

Baldwin designed this machine to generate the same output as the catheter milking machine, that was previously invented in 1819, without the downsides. Baldwin's machine proved to be a less invasive design. [3] Whereas the catheter milking machine used tubes made of wood or featuring quills that were inserted into the teats, forcing the sphincter muscle to open and allowing milk to flow out of the mammary gland, the Hygienic Glove Milker utilized basic suction to create similar results.

Additionally, the usage of a catheter milking machine could result in various problems, such as spreading diseases, weakening the cow's sphincter muscles which leads to continuous dribbling, and general injury to the teats. [4] Due to Baldwin's design, farmers were able to safely increase the amount of milk they could produce without harming their cows, ultimately benefiting the farm.

Impact

Due to the continuous suction on the cow's udder, the cow's mammary tissue would often be irritated, causing the cow to kick in pain. [5] Improved milking machines appeared around 1883 from other farmers such as James P. Martin. [6] However, it was not until Carl Gustav de Laval, a Swedish engineer, that the first commercially successful milking machine was designed. It was a culmination of Carl Gustav de Laval and Anna Baldwin's inventions that led to the modern dairy farming method. [7]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Milk</span> White liquid produced by the mammary glands of mammals

Milk is a white liquid food produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals before they are able to digest solid food. Milk contains many nutrients, including calcium and protein, as well as lactose and saturated fat. Immune factors and immune-modulating components in milk contribute to milk immunity. Early-lactation milk, which is called colostrum, contains antibodies and immune-modulating components that strengthen the immune system against many diseases. The US CDC agency recommends that children over the age of 12 months should have two servings of dairy (milk) products a day, and more than six billion people worldwide consume milk and milk products.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dairy</span> Place where milk is stored and where butter and cheese are made or sold

A dairy is a place where milk is stored and where butter, cheese and other dairy products are made, or a place where those products are sold. It may be a room, a building or a larger establishment. In the United States, the word may also describe a dairy farm or the part of a mixed farm dedicated to milk for human consumption, whether from cows, buffaloes, goats, yaks, sheep, horses or camels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Breast pump</span> Mechanical device used to extract milk from human breasts

A breast pump is a mechanical device that lactating women use to extract milk from their breasts. They may be manual devices powered by hand or foot movements or automatic devices powered by electricity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dairy farming</span> Long-term production of milk

Dairy farming is a class of agriculture for the long-term production of milk, which is processed for the eventual sale of a dairy product. Dairy farming has a history that goes back to the early Neolithic era, around the seventh millennium BC, in many regions of Europe and Africa. Before the 20th century, milking was done by hand on small farms. Beginning in the early 20th century, milking was done in large scale dairy farms with innovations including rotary parlors, the milking pipeline, and automatic milking systems that were commercially developed in the early 1990s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bovine somatotropin</span> Peptide hormone produced by cows pituitary glands

Bovine somatotropin or bovine somatotrophin, or bovine growth hormone (BGH), is a peptide hormone produced by cows' pituitary glands. Like other hormones, it is produced in small quantities and is used in regulating metabolic processes. Scientists created a bacterium that produces the hormone somatotropin which is produced by the cow's body after giving birth and increases milk production by around 10 percent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Udder</span> Organ formed of mammary glands on the females of dairy animals

An udder is an organ formed of two or four mammary glands on the females of dairy animals and ruminants such as cattle, goats, and sheep. An udder is equivalent to the breast in primates, elephantine pachyderms and other mammals. The udder is a single mass hanging beneath the animal, consisting of pairs of mammary glands with protruding teats. In cattle, camels and deer, there are normally two pairs, in sheep and goats, there is one pair, and in some animals, there are many pairs. In animals with udders, the mammary glands develop on the milk line near the groin. Mammary glands that develop on the chest are generally referred to as breasts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dairy cattle</span> Cattle bred to produce milk

Dairy cattle are cattle bred with the ability to produce large quantities of milk, from which dairy products are made. Dairy cattle generally are of the species Bos taurus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Milking</span> Removal of milk from the mammary glands of an animal

Milking is the act of removing milk from the mammary glands of cattle, water buffalo, humans, goats, sheep, and, more rarely, camels, horses, and donkeys. Milking may be done by hand or by machine, and requires the animal to be currently or recently pregnant. The milker may refer either to the animal that produces the milk or the person who milks said animal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Automatic milking</span> Milking of dairy animals without human labour

Automatic milking is the milking of dairy animals, especially of dairy cattle, without human labour. Automatic milking systems (AMS), also called voluntary milking systems (VMS), were developed in the late 20th century. They have been commercially available since the early 1990s. The core of such systems that allows complete automation of the milking process is a type of agricultural robot. Automated milking is therefore also called robotic milking. Common systems rely on the use of computers and special herd management software. They can also be used to monitor the health status of cows.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sahiwal cattle</span> Cattle breed

Sahiwal cattle is a breed of Indian zebu cow, named after the Sahiwal district of modern-day Pakistan. The cattle is mainly found in Punjab province of Pakistan, and Indian states of Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan.

A milking pipeline or milk pipeline is a component of a dairy farm animal-milking operation which is used to transfer milk from the animals to a cooling and storage bulk tank.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mastitis in dairy cattle</span>

Bovine mastitis is the persistent, inflammatory reaction of the udder tissue due to physical trauma or microorganisms infections. Mastitis, a potentially fatal mammary gland infection, is the most common disease in dairy cattle in the United States and worldwide. It is also the most costly disease to the dairy industry. Milk from cows suffering from mastitis has an increased somatic cell count. Prevention and control of mastitis requires consistency in sanitizing the cow barn facilities, proper milking procedure and segregation of infected animals. Treatment of the disease is carried out by penicillin injection in combination with sulphar drug.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dairy cattle showmanship</span>

Showing dairy cattle provides the dairy farmer a means of buying and selling their cows or heifers and selecting functional cows for their dairy herd. Shows can be social events in addition to serving as important business opportunities, and ages of those who show and attend cover a broad range. Dairy shows are also an important tool in sparking the interest of young people to become involved in the dairy industry. Showing dairy cattle also allow for farms to "compete" in order to show off the animals that they have raised. A big part of showing dairy cattle is the hard work ethic that goes into it. Also, farms who show at many shows and are well known are able to promote their farm, which will demonstrate their farm's status. The seven breeds of dairy cows that are shown are Ayrshire cattle, Brown Swiss cattle, Milking Shorthorn, Guernsey cattle, Holstein cattle, Red&White Holstein cattle and Jersey cattle. In order to register for a show, payment and the registration for the cow or heifer must be submitted. The registration would include the breed, birthdate, dam and sire of the animal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rotolactor</span> Machine for milking cows

The Rotolactor is a largely automatic machine used for milking a large number of cows successively using a rotating platform. It was developed by the Borden Company in 1930, and is known as the "rotary milking parlor".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Swill milk scandal</span> Adulterated food scandal in the 1850s

The swill milk scandal was a major adulterated food scandal in the state of New York in the 1850s. The New York Times reported an estimate that in one year, 8,000 infants died from swill milk.

Pseudocowpox is a disease caused by the Paravaccinia virus or Pseudocowpox virus, a virus of the family Poxviridae and the genus Parapoxvirus. Humans can contract the virus from contact with livestock infected with Bovine papular stomatitis and the disease is common among ranchers, milkers, and veterinarians. Infection in humans will present with fever, fatigue, and lesion on the skin.

AgroChem, Inc. is a privately owned manufacturing company located in Saratoga Springs, NY, that specializes in supplying chemicals and formulated products to dairy farms, including hoof care products, teat dips, and cleaning products. The company currently employs approximately 30 people and averages 10 – 20 million dollars in sales annually.

Laura Hernandez is an American associate professor of dairy science at the University of Wisconsin–Madison who studies endocrinology and lactation, especially that of dairy cows. Hernandez aims to apply the findings from the ungulates to humans having issues with breastfeeding.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dry cow</span>

A dry cow refers to a dairy cow that is in a stage of their lactation cycle where milk production ceases prior to calving. This part of their lactation cycle is referred to as the cows dry period and typically last between 40 and 65 days. Dry cows are typically divided into two groups: far-off and close-up. Once the cow has entered this stage, producers will seal the cows teat while following a veterinarian recommended, dry cow therapy for their herd. This dry period is a critical part of their lactation cycle and is important for the cows health, the newborn calf and future milk production, as it allows the cow time to rest, eat and prepare for birth. During this time, the cow will produce colostrum for the newly born calf.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lely (company)</span> Dutch dairy robots manufacturer

Lely Industries N.V. is a Dutch agricultural machine and robots manufacturer which is based in Maassluis, the Netherlands. It is considered as one of the leading dairy robot manufacturers.

References

  1. 1 2 Zierdt-Warshaw, L., Winkler, A., & Bernstein, L. (2000). American Women in Technology: An Encyclopedia. ABC-CLIO Interactive.
  2. ↑ US212423A - Improvement in Cow-Milkers. (n.d.). Retrieved April 6, 2021, from https://patents.google.com/patent/US212423
  3. ↑ NT, B. (2020, December 11). History of Automatic Milking Systems (AMS) - Timeline. Retrieved April 6, 2021, from https://roboticsbiz.com/history-of-automatic-milking-systems-ams-timeline/
  4. ↑ Vleck, R. V. (n.d.). Early Cow Milking Machines. Retrieved April 6, 2021, from http://www.americanartifacts.com/smma/milker/milker.htm
  5. ↑ Who was Anna Baldwin? (2020, April 15). Retrieved April 6, 2021, from https://www.reference.com/history/anna-baldwin-3dd3f16d33f45f7a
  6. ↑ Erf, O. (1906). Milking Machines. Manhattan, Kan.: Kansas State Agricultural College, Agricultural Experiment Station.
  7. ↑ Young, A. (2011, June 8). Dairy Farming Has a Surprising History. Retrieved April 6, 2021, from https://auburnpub.com/lifestyles/dairy-farming-has-a-surprising-history/article_61b12b28-9162-11e0-adf9-001cc4c002e0.html
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.