Future farming: Robot feeds Southland dairy cows
The farm had previously been using a tractor-mounted tyre to push feed to the winter milking herd, which required a…
The farm had previously been using a tractor-mounted tyre to push feed to the winter milking herd, which required a trip to the barn every night.
The robot, developed by DeLaval, works 24/7 and features a twin-spiralled rotating auger that lifts, mixes, and aerates the feed while repositioning feed closer to the fence.
“I’ve just added an extra run, so the cows are now getting well-mixed feed seven times in 24 hours. We’ve already seen an increase of nearly one litre per cow per day in milk production at a time when this is the only thing that’s changed on the farm.”
“It’s also nice to know that I don’t have to pull my boots back on after dinner and head back down to the barn late at night.”
DeLaval’s Katrina Lee said there had also been interest in the technology from dairy goat farmers.
“Automated feed mixing and repositioning helps maximise dry matter intake, minimise feed sorting, and allows cows more time for lying down and ruminating,” she said.
She said the use of robotics was helping farmers address industry challenges.
“Animal welfare, farm profitability, work efficiency and food safety are challenges that farmers around the globe face with increasing pressure.”
Newshub.
