- English
DeLaval has launched a new automated batch milking system for large dairy farms. This new concept, known as the “VMS Batch milking system” enables dairy farmers to merge all the benefits of a milking robot with the benefits of a large, or rotary, parlour.
The increasing demand for suitable workers at dairy farms in Europe is gaining momentum and is one of the reasons behind the demand for effective automated milking solutions at larger dairy farms. “With the successful introduction of our DeLaval VMS™ V300 and V310 a few years ago and the high capacity of these milking systems, we saw an opportunity to organise the robots to form a batch milking system, to offer a flexible automated milking solution for larger farms,” says André de Leeuw, Market Solution Manager VMS™.
There are several aspects to consider when purchasing a new milking robot. “Dairy farmers need to consider their long-term strategies, livestock housing design, cow comfort and, of course, personal preference, to mention but a few of the key areas. There is no solution that fits all farms. Our VMS™ batch milking system can, however, be used at many different farms, including very large ones, as it is flexible and can easily be scaled up. In addition, automated milking requires little manual work which can reduce labour dependencies and related costs,” says De Leeuw.
DeLaval VMS™ Batch milking – Simplicity and flexibility
With the new VMS™ Batch milking concept by DeLaval, dairy farms with large herd sizes will benefit from the advantages of robotic milking, without this changing much or affecting day-to-day management. The dairy farmer uses the milking robot two to three times a day, at specific times. The routine is similar to that in a conventional milking parlour, but with much higher labour efficiency. An example is Renato Aceto’s dairy farm in Italy, which uses 8 VMS™ boxes to milk 450 cows, requiring just 1 staff member.
DeLaval VMS™ Batch milking – Easy and reassuring
The DeLaval VMS™ V300 series opens up new opportunities for the large herd segment. The DeLaval InSight system is able to locate teats without any (manual) support or learning process. It is a self-learning system; this technology ensures fast, efficient and accurate attachment. Including in recently milked cows. A software add-on allows dairy farmers to use a mode for batch milking, enabling the user to operate several stations remotely and simultaneously. DeLaval offers an InService All-Inclusive package; this enables the dairy farmer to enter into a total service plan, including cleaning and teat dips and preventive service maintenance, providing assurance and total peace of mind .
DeLaval VMS™ Batch milking Renato Aceto
Renato Aceto, based in South Italy, uses 8 DeLaval VMS™ milking robots, which form a batch milking system. “We manage more than 1,000 dairy cows located on several farm sites and our greatest challenge is labour availability. For that reason, we invested in 8 DeLaval VMS™ milking robots for one of the sites. We were not yet ready to change our business and herd management strategies.
nAfter a number of conversations with DeLaval and the local dealer, we decided on this concept. This allows us to combine the benefits of traditional milking with automated milking. There have been almost no changes in our feeding and reproduction strategy. That is why we decided on this concept,” said Renato. “The only change to our approach is the labour factor. After 6 months we are very happy and we have decided to update a second farm site to batch milking as well. In spring 2022, we will milk more than 1,000 cows with VMS batch milking.”
