increase font size
A robotic feed pusher installed on a South Island dairy farm is reportedly increasing production and offering significant labour savings.
The DeLaval OptiDuo remixes and repositions supplementary feed in barns and on feed pads to ensure cows 24/7 access to refreshed feed, helping to increase intake and reduce waste.
“Previously we had been pushing back feed with a tractor-mounted tyre,” explained Bruce Eade, who farms pedigree Ayrshires and Holstein Friesians near Gore.
“When we started autumn calving and winter milking, we decided we could justify buying a robot to give the cows automated access to more palatable feed throughout the day and night. The cows are now getting well-mixed and refreshed feed, seven times in 24 hours, giving us a yield increase of almost 1 litre/ cow/ day I, with no other changes,” said Eade.
The old system required a trip to the barn every night after 9pm to push up feed, a job now taken care of by the OptiDuo robot that features a twin-spiralled rotating auger that lifts, mixes, and aerates the feed, before repositioning it closer to the feed barrier. Said to offer versatility, the robot can handle varying amounts of material and a wide range of feeds, including TMR’s, silage hay and fresh grass.
The OptiDuo runs along an induction line and can be easily programmed to alter feed times and frequency, with simple maintenance, no greasing and a minimal number of service parts.
“Automated feed-mixing and repositioning helps maximise dry matter intake, minimise feed sorting, and allows cows more time for lying down and ruminating," said DeLaval’s Katrina Lee. “We’re seeing real interest in this technology from dairy goat farmers too.”
Machinery manufacturer John Deere and livestock specialists DeLaval have pooled their resources to create the Milk Sustainability Center (MSC), described as a digital ecosystem to help dairy farmers improve the efficiency and sustainability of their operations.
Milking specialist DeLaval plans to increase its production capacity of automatic milking machines to meet rising customer demand.
Building on its launch back in 2018, DeLaval has launched a new OptiDuo feed pushing robot, with a claim that using this technology can add up to three litres/ cow/day.
Tauranga-based Robotics Plus has launched its autonomous multi-use, modular vehicle platform for agriculture.
Milking and technology specialist DeLaval has begun an 18,000m² rebuild at its Hamra Farm in Sweden.
A technical lab manager for Apata, Phoebe Scherer, has won the Bay of Plenty 2025 Young Grower regional title.
Following heavy rain which caused flooding in parts of Nelson-Tasman and sewerage overflows in Marlborough, the Insurance & Financial Services Ombudsman Scheme (IFSO Scheme) is urging homeowners and tenants to be cautious when cleaning up and to take the right steps to support claims.
Newly elected Federated Farmers meat and wool group chair Richard Dawkins says he will continue the great work done his predecessor Toby Williams.
Hosted by ginger dynamo Te Radar, the Fieldays Innovation Award Winners Event put the spotlight on the agricultural industry's most promising ideas.
According to DairyNZ's latest Econ Tracker update, there has been a rise in the forecast breakeven milk price for the 2025/26 season.
Despite the rain and a liberal coating of mud, engines roared, and the 50th Fieldays Tractor Pull Competition drew crowds of spectators across the four days of the annual event.
OPINION: ACT MP Mark Cameron isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but he certainly calls it how he sees it, holding…
OPINION: Did former PM Jacinda Ardern get fawning reviews for her book?
