Batch milking with robots
Batch milking with robots is starting to gain traction, but why, and is it a good option?
Boumatic, DeLaval, Fullwood Joz and GEA all offer batch milking with robots, and with large herds, it can make a lot of economic sense.
How does it work?
It is exactly the same principle as a conventional system, bringing groups of cows into a collecting yard to be milked, except with batch milking, they are milked automatically by robots.
The machines require one hour's down time between milkings, for washing and maintenance, leaving 21 hours per day for milking. Assuming an average box time of 7.5 minutes per cow, each robot can then achieve 8 milkings per hour, or 168 per day.
If we take a herd of 440 cows being milked 3 times a day, then this will require 8 single box machines in the case of DeLaval, Fullwood Joz and GEA or 5 double boxes in the case of Boumatic’s Gemini.
Advantages
Savings
Although you might be thinking that there is little to be gained financially, because you need the same number of machines, as a voluntary system, there are actually some savings to be made here, where the manufacturers can centralise some of the equipment on the machines, such as milk and vacuum pumps and so the costs per unit reduces.
Simplicity of Layout
If we take our 440 cow example above ,on a voluntary system, this will typically be run as 4 micro herds of 110 cows, each with a combination of early, mid and late lactation cows, in each group.
With a new build this can be planned for, but when you are trying to retro fit this in to an existing building, it is not always possible and it ends up being a compromise.
This can also lead to some serious building costs, which you will not incur with batch milking because the groups can remain the same, as they would for a conventional milking. Handling and separation can also be centralised rather than replicating in every micro herd.
Herd Management
It can be hard with large herds on a voluntary system, to keep all of the mirco herds running at full capacity, as it requires a certain amount of juggling with cows numbers, which you don’t have with batch milking.
Feeding
Voluntary systems will have an impact on feed costs, if you have been using a total mixed ration, as you have to reduce the concentrates outside to get enough visits in the robots. The maximum recommended on the feed fence, is the average yield of the group, minus 7 litres. So more concentrates have to be fed in this situation.
Batch milking with robots on the other hand, allows you to manage your groups as you would if you were milking through a conventional parlour and so you can feed more heavily outside. Some concentrates will be required in the robots but at a reduced rate.
Milking Frequency
Another option that you have with batch milking, is to milk some groups more often than others. So, early lactation cows could be taken to the robots four times a day, mid lactation three times and your lates, just twice.
Disadvantages
Manpower 24 hours a day
Manpower will be constantly required to move groups of cows to the robot collecting area, to oversee the milking operation and to clean down the machines. So, this is a major consideration.
Whilst voluntary systems do not require any manpower at night, apart from responding to any alarms.
Herding cows
With voluntary milking, cows become very quiet because they are not being herded two or three times a day but you will not see the benefit of this with batch milking.