GEA launches robotic milkers
Milking technology provider GEA Farm Technologies is introducing its first automatic milking system (AMS) in New Zealand.
DataCore expands the iCore milking point management system to allow farmers to remotely control the system and in due course access herd management data.
GEA dairy farming R&D team leader Mark Jones explains, "we want farmers to be able to record information on a cow when they notice it in the paddock, have this alerted when entering the shed and automatically have it drafted all via iCore".
Farmers will also be able to access milking information such as flow, yield, conductivity and milk analysis with all the information stored in one central place, via a smartphone/tablet web browser device that will offer a better visual display of the data than that available in bail.
Limited internet access is no barrier to using the system as it is platform independent and can run on any device. DataCore would simply store the data until it has internet access to upload to the cloud, while continually using safeguards to protect data and maintain functionality for farmers in all situations.
While the initial release will have basic functionality, i.e. control over iCore, future upgrades, such as integration with herd management systems, will mean a simple upgrade to the existing software.
In the near future the system will integrate with GEA's iDentity herd management software. There are plans to enable farmers to pass on information to third party herd management systems LIC Protrac, DairyPlan C21 and Farm 360.
