Modern cheese plants have automated extensively compared to manual vat operation. Performing the enclosed, cylindrical vats allow for improved automation and control of processing time. Enclosed, cylindrical vats allow for improved automation and control of the various unit operation while improving hygiene and energy efficiency. Dual-agitators combine both stirring (with one direction of rotation where sharpened ends of the agitators produce cutting of the gel). Curd fines recovery from whey has been greatly improved, for enhanced yield. Pneumatic curd conveying to curd handling operations reduces curd damage. Draining-matting conveyors with porous belt are employed for continuous operation. In the manufacture of cheddar, milling of curd for salting occurs in-line in the continuous belt system. Automatic block forming, for example, cheddaring towers, can also be utilized. The weight of gravity of the curd in the tower as well as the application of vacuum ensures a tight, uniform block is produced at the bottom. Block of 18-20 kg are cut from the bottom in such continuous block-forming unit. Modern continuous line for cheddar can produce up to 12,000 kg/h.