ABC Grazing with LELY A5
Y Stand Laeth
Matthew Jones and family, farm their herd of 120 Freisian Holstiens just outside Carmarthen in west Wales. They started thinking about robotic milking in 2016, because their existing 10 x 20 parlour was becoming outdated and the capital cost of installing two robots was similar to a new conventional milking parlour. However, other investments had to take priority at that time, which included launching a milk vending operation, Y Stand Laeth.
In 2024 they re-visited the possibility of installing robots, working with an ABC grazing system. “We took a trip to Ireland with Lely and returned, convinced that the system could work us,”explains Mathew,” and so we went ahead and ordered two A5’s and a grazeway gate.”
A5 Specification
- Activity monitoring and rumination
- Cell count monitoring
- Quarter conductivity and blood detection
- Liquid feed dispensing
Building work
Their existing cubicle shed was extended by two bays, to accommodate the robots and a segregation pen, before a concrete pad was laid to mount the grazeway gate. The robots started up on April 1st on a free access system in the building before being turned out to grass at the end of May.
Future plans
Grazing is very much at the centre of Matthew’s plans moving forward, operating on an ABC system. He plans to graze twenty four hours a day in the peak summer months and then to use a buffer during the shoulder months, where the cows might be housed for eight hours out of twenty four. ”Having the three way gate means that we can be totally flexible,” explains Matthew “So, we will be able to react according to the grass growth and the weather.”
The plan is to move yields up to around 35 litres per cow over the next 12 months which will take the robots up to capacity with around 110 cows in milk.
Milk vending
The milk vending operation, Y Stand Laeth is growing nicely and since starting this up, Matthew and his wife Helen, have also taken on a local milk round. ”We are currently buying the bottled milk in for this side of the business, but the long-term aim, is to process it all ourselves, but it is one step at a time!”
In addition, there is a viewing area in the farm office where anyone calling in for a milk shake or a few pints of milk can take a look at the robotic milking.
