Labour savings, improved cow performance and better health management have been some of the benefits of moving to robotic milking on one Cumbrian dairy farm.
When difficulties finding and retaining staff meant Tom Dent and his father Michael were working 14-hour days, they knew something had to change.
In August 2020, they made the leap to robotic milking, swapping the 28-year-old rotary parlour for three Lely A5 Astronauts on a greenfield site. The new shed was installed with comfort in mind with comfortable mattresses, automatic scrapers and plenty of space.
The decision has been life changing, helping to improve margins and work-life balance at Catterlen Hall, Penrith, which Mr Dent runs alongside his parents Michael and Joanne.
Mr Dent highlights four main benefits for the 200-cow Holstein herd:
1 Labour saving
Robotic milking has removed the stress of having to find staff and also built flexibility into working hours.
One of us can manage on our own now. If you want your timeoff, you are not tied to milking twice-a-day and you can manage everything from your phone, says Mr Dent, who adds that the working days are now shorter, running from 6am to 5.30pm, instead of 4.30am to 6pm.
It gives us more time to do general cow management. Before we were rushing around, now weve got more time to do everything right, he says.
2 Allowed cows to express their genetic potential
Having always bred for high yields, but not had the staff to milk three times a day, moving to the robots means cows can quarter individually to avoid over milking. The robot automatically records milk conductivity and SCC for each cow, with any issues flagged up in an Udder Health report. Mr Dent says: The robot picks up mastitis a lot sooner than visually in the parlour. And with up-to-date somatic cell count and conductivity we can make informed treatment decision. For example, if a cow has a high SCC and conductivity, but no signs of udder swelling or a milk themselves whenever they want. The herd is now averaging 3.1-3.2 robot visits, resulting in a marked yield increase (see table).
Mr Dent adds: Were milking three times a day [on average] and the high yielders are milking five times a day. And theres more feed space and comfort in the shed. All those things drive production.
He also believes the addition of a Lely Juno feed pusher, which automatically pushes up the ration 18 times a day, has helped drive intakes which has assisted production. Better dry matter intakes, together with being housed all-year-round, has also supported improvements in butterfats.
3 Improved udder health
Mastitis incidence and bulk somatic cell counts (SCC) have both decreased. Mr Dent believes SCC have been helped by the fact the robot milks each quarter individually to avoid over milking.
The robot automatically records milk conductivity and SCC for each cow, with any issues flagged up in an Udder Health report.
Mr Dent says: The robot picks up mastitis a lot sooner than visually in the parlour. And with up-to-date somatic cell count and conductivity we can make informed treatment decision.
For example, if a cow has a high SCC and conductivity, but no signs of udder swelling or a yield drop, it will be given Udder- Mint and oxytocin to help milk let down. The robot will then monitor the cows response. If it does not improve, antibiotics will be given. However, Mr Dent says they now rarely have to treat with antibiotics and treatment for mastitis has reduced by 50%.
Improved cow health and environment has also helped improve cow longevity. The herd is now averaging 3.2 lactations, up from 2.8 lactations.
4Overall efficiencies have improved
Margin per cow has increased. Increasing yields have helped and obviously being more efficient by feeding to yield through the robot, which helps with efficiencies financially, says Mr Dent. Switching to new Lely rubber milking liners has also reduced box time by 20 seconds a cow. This means the total herd can be increased from 180-200 which helps overall efficiencies.
