Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Plant layout design considers milk flow paths.
Shorter paths have specific advantages.
Step 2: Key Formula or Approach:
No specific formula.
Need to understand plant layout principles.
Step 3: Detailed Explanation:
Assertion A: Milk path should be as short as possible - true.
Reason R: Minimizes pipe cost and cleaning time - true.
The reason explains why short paths are desirable.
Thus, both A and R are true, and R explains A.
Step 4: Final Answer:
Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).
Hence, the correct option is (A).