- English
Florent Briançon has been running the Gaec du Frenelet dairy farm, together with his brother Patrice and their partners Fredo and Pascal since 2019. Located in the southeast of France, their farm has 170 dairy cows. In 2021, the foursome moved the farm to a new location, which led to the search for a new solution for feeding their cows. The JOZ Moov 2.0 soon caught their attention. ‘The feed pusher robot turned out to be the perfect solution. It’s very easy to use and saves us a lot of time,’ Florent tells us.
A new location
When Florent first started out with Gaec du Frenelet in 2019, the barn was set up to feed the cows from one side, and the robot they had at the time was programmed accordingly. The decision to relocate in 2021 was motivated by the increasing emphasis the four farmers placed on their herd’s well-being and comfort. Florent says: ‘The setup at the new farm has the cows facing each other, so we started a search for a solution that would better suit the new situation.’
The search for a solution
How do you undertake such a search? Florent: ‘We did a lot of asking around and sought advice from other farmers. Many of them recommended JOZ’s solutions. After hearing so many positive stories, we decided to go for it. We contacted Vincent Demond at JOZ. Vincent advised us in a way that was both personal and professional.’
‘When Vincent visited us, he explained why the Moov 2.0 would be perfect for our farm and feeding methods,’ Florent continues. ‘We were looking for a robot that would be easy to maintain and could push feed on both sides within a single route. That’s exactly what the Moov 2.0 does for us.’
Healthier cows
Thanks to the Moov 2.0, Florent no longer worries about the amount of feed available to the cows. ‘The robot is programmed to automatically push the feed at set times in the morning and evening. That way, there’s always enough feed available, which reduces competition at the feed fences. The result is that the cows don’t get stressed, and there’s no dominant behaviour.’
‘The Moov 2.0 also ensures that the cows have enough time to ruminate and rest. We can see that this has significantly improved their health. Their legs are cleaner and need less care and attention. Healthier cows produce milk with a higher fat content, and that’s very good for the cheese our company makes.’
Low maintenance and easy to use
Florent tells us that, as well as requiring little maintenance, the Moov 2.0 is easy to use. ‘That makes this feed pusher robot truly unique. You don’t need any training to use it. Vincent explained it once and wrote down the key points for us in just four lines. It’s very simple, and that’s exactly what we need.’
‘When the robot was first installed, we programmed it just once to operate at set times that fit in with our daily schedule and feeding preferences. When the Moov 2.0 finishes its route, it makes its own way back to the charging station. I can control what the robot does just by using my phone, which is great.’
Time-saving
Because it requires so little maintenance, the Moov 2.0 saves a lot of time. Purchasing the feed pusher robot has significantly improved the lives of the four farmers. How much? It saves them between two and three hours of work a day, so they don’t need extra help on the farm. ‘While the Moov 2.0 is doing its job, we can get on with other tasks,’ Florent explains.
‘We invest the time it frees up in our little farm shop, where we sell our yoghurt, cheese and other dairy products. Thanks to the Moov 2.0, we have much more time and energy for making them.’
Happy with the Moov 2.0 and JOZ
Florent can’t imagine working without the Moov 2.0, nor would he want to. ‘It’s not just the feed pusher itself that we’re happy with. The installation and setup as well as the support we’ve had from JOZ and the dealer have all been of a very high standard. The instructions could not have been clearer. The robot has worked perfectly since it was installed, and the entire process was smooth from start to finish. Choosing JOZ was definitely the right decision.’
