Semi-robotic milking technology to boost parlour efficiency
Waikato Milking Systems’ latest innovation, ErgoPOD is now commercially available within New Zealand and Australia.
Supplying a rotary dairy to Russia is no more challenging than supplying to a farmer on home turf, says Waikato Milking System’s international sales manager, Grant Wisnewski.
“It doesn’t matter whether the new platform is needed 8km from our Hamilton base or, as in the case of Terranova, 16,500km, the same fundamentals apply: farmers want a product tailored to their needs and which will perform and [endure].
“Those were the attributes Terranova wanted. Their farms are relatively isolated from our service centres so they wanted state-of-the-art systems which are easy to use, robust and [low] service.
“With servicing in mind, Terranova opted for a 60 bail Centrus platform which is 80% lighter and five times stronger than concrete alternatives.
“The deck sections are formed in a multi-layer laminated process that includes Kevlar, a material five times the strength of concrete and used in the manufacture of the latest Boeing Dreamliner aircraft, Americas Cup racing yachts, police vests, etc.
“The strength and lightness of the rotary platform means less wear and tear on running gear, and lower maintenance costs. A 60 bail Centrus rotary platform, for example, is 5 tonnes compared to the 26 tonnes of a concrete platform.
“The composite platform is unique to Waikato Milking Systems, which has a world-wide patent, and is made entirely at our Hamilton base and shipped to the destination.
“We prepare a layout of the parlour which takes into account such things as cow flow, integration with barns where the herd is housed, and multiple herds where several thousand cows are milked up to 22 hours per day.
“The platform was constructed entirely in New Zealand and shipped to Russia in two containers. Once the milking systems arrived we sent an engineer over to build the rotary platform supported by two or three of our local service people.
“Our engineer normally spends 18-21 days on site and then comes home. He is followed by another man who oversees installation of the milking machine which can take up to 20 days.
“[Then another man] commissions the platform and spends four to five days onfarm, training the staff in how to operate the milking system and how to milk cows in a rotary.”
Managing director of Woolover Ltd, David Brown, has put a lot of effort into verifying what seems intuitive, that keeping newborn stock's core temperature stable pays dividends by helping them realise their full genetic potential.
Within the next 10 years, New Zealand agriculture will need to manage its largest-ever intergenerational transfer of wealth, conservatively valued at $150 billion in farming assets.
Boutique Waikato cheese producer Meyer Cheese is investing in a new $3.5 million facility, designed to boost capacity and enhance the company's sustainability credentials.
OPINION: The Government's decision to rule out changes to Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) that would cost every farmer thousands of dollars annually, is sensible.
Compensation assistance for farmers impacted by Mycoplama bovis is being wound up.
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