The liner won the DLV innovation of the year award 2015 in the category milking technology.
The product exemplifies form following function, the company says. The design ensures the liner stays in the proper milking position and has a massage effect, ensuring the cow’s comfort without compromising milking performance. As a result teat health improves and mastitis cases are reduced.
The DLV innovation of the year awards have ten categories including feeding technology, animal welfare, software and milking technology.
“We are honoured to win this award,” said Jean-Jacques Dreier, portfolio director liners and tubes at DeLaval. “It is great to be accredited by DLV for… products that enhance animal welfare, reduce costs and increase productivity for our customers.”
The company’s Clover liner 20M suits cows with average teats, the liner 20M-EX suits cows with average teats but wide udders, and the liner 20S-ST is for cows with average-to-short teats.
Combining the DeLaval Clover liner with its Harmony cluster is the perfect match to ensure milking performance and udder health, the company says.
DeLaval also won a silver medal in the category for its InService Remote. Criteria for selection included optimising labour management, facilitating work safety and reducing energy costs.
The system monitors milking solution equipment remotely, ensuring optimal performance and productivity 24/7/365, enabling farmers to manage their dairy operations from their smartphone.
“It shows that we’re on the right track with our innovations,” a spokesman said. “[The remote] supports our customers in increasing throughput and yield while keeping udder health under good control.”
EuroTier is said to be the world’s largest innovations marketplace for machinery, installations and farm inputs for professional animal husbandry. There were 270 innovations submitted by 156 exhibitors from 19 countries to the EuroTier organizer.
The four-day event attracted 2360 exhibitors from 49 countries.
50,000 cows using it
DELAVAL SAYS the Clover liner, launched last year, is milking at least 500 000 cows worldwide.
The liner has thin, concave side walls and smooth, rounded corners that deliver a firm, yet gentle grip of the teat throughout the milking cycle, the firm says.
“This design ensures the liner stays in the proper milking position and provides excellent massage, offering cows maximum comfort.
“Additionally, it provides a low and stable mouthpiece vacuum and avoids the typical clogging and hygiene issues related to the use of air vents on vented liners. As a result teat health improves and mastitis cases are reduced.”