Milking is a well-oiled operation for one large Devon-based herd, since the installation of a new rotary parlour. Cow flow has improved, milking time has been reduced, and there’s less pressure on staff.
TEXT RACHAEL PORTER
Herd expansion saw one Devon-based dairy business outgrow its existing milk parlour and, at the same time, the pressure on labour – and cows – was beginning to take its toll. Chris Blake was milking his 600-strong herd through a 54:54 herringbone, which had been expanded from a 40:40 system. But it was still taking between 3.5 and four hours to milk cows, twice a day, through the 22-year-old setup.
“It was time to invest in a better infrastructure for the sake of our herd and ourselves,” says Chris, who runs the dairy business with his father and mother, Bill and Jan. They own and manage a second 300-cow dairy unit, based 10 miles down the road, which is also part of their dairy business.
The herd is grazed for nine months each year, a factor that played a determining role when deciding which milking parlour and set up would best suit the herd. Cows are typically turned out in mid-February to graze during the day, and they’re out day and night by mid-March. “We try to ‘turn off’ the TMR by the end of March and maximise milk production from forage,” adds Chris.
After weighing up the options, deciding on a rotary parlour was straightforward: “It’s the most efficient way to milk a lot of cows,” says Chris. “It requires just two operators and, at a push, one person can manage milking on their own.
He installed a 64-point GEA T8500 external rotary parlour in summer 2023, which was up and running by November. The system was designed, developed and manufactured in New Zealand. GEA’s Emrys John has sold more than 60 of these parlours in the UK since 2006.
“It’s popular because it’s robust and relatively low cost,” says Emrys. “It’s been tried and tested on grass-based systems in New Zealand and it’s ideal for a large herd that goes out to graze for a significant portion of the year. Four full-time staff help Chris to manage his family’s autumn-block-calving herd, which is based near Crediton and grazed on a 160-hectare platform. The family farms a total of 650 hectares, which includes land for growing forage maize and grass silage, as well as youngstock grazing.
Vital equipment: ICAR-approved milk meters and fully-adjustable ration pulsators sit under the rotary parlour's platform
Labour efficient
Cows calve in a 12-week block, starting in mid-August. Herd average yield is around 8,000 litres, at 4.5% butterfat and 3.5% protein, and milk is sold to Arla. The rotary parlour is definitely more time- and labour efficient. Milking time has been slashed to just two hours in the morning and 1.5 hours in the afternoon.
“Milking is a more enjoyable job now – this is important today when all dairy businesses need to focus on making the role attractive to staff. And it’s also helped to transform the way we manage the herd.”
He says that cow flow is good too. The herd is calm and quiet as it moves smoothly through the system. “The parlour makes very little noise and the cows make very little mess. It’s a pleasurable experience for them – and us.
“And, more importantly, shorter milking times free up the rest of the day to manage the herd,” adds Chris.
The parlour also comes with the herd management software, GEA’s DairyPlan, that has helped to improve individual cow husbandry. And ‘add ons’ include auto ID. Each cow has a collar with tech that not only identifies her as she enters the parlour but also measures her rumination, feed intake and activity.
“If any of these fall below what’s ‘normal’ for her, the system sends an alert to Chris, so he can take a closer look,” explains Emrys. “And higher than usual activity can be an indicator that she’s in heat.”
The auto ID links to DairyPlan, which works with the parlour’s Metatron milk meters. These measure milk yield and conductivity. “So we are alerted if an individual cow’s milk yield is lower than expected, or conductivity is up,” says Chris. “We can take a more proactive approach to cow management because the tech picks up potential issues before they can be seen by the human eye.”
The rotary also has an ‘on-platform’ teat sprayer. “After automatic cluster removal, there’s a 10-second delay before this tech, which has one nozzle per teat, applies a post-milking spray,” explains Emrys.
Another feature that is optional but proves invaluable to those who add it, according to Emrys, is the ‘wash on the go’ feature. “This feature means that the parlour rotates as it’s cleaning, which means it can be hosed down easily. The hose operator stands still and the stalls come to them. Sounds simple, and it’s not something that all producers want, but, without exception, it’s the first thing that those who do have it rave about,” says Emrys. “Tangled and ‘caught’ hoses are a thing of the past and it’s just less arduous.”
Time saving
Chris added this system to his parlour. “It saves about 10 minutes per milking and that quickly adds up during the course of a year,” says Chris.
The unit hosted an open day to allow other producers to see the system in action. “Although early days, it’s so far, so good. We are really pleased. And, looking longer term, there’s capacity to milk more cows,” he says.
“We don’t have any immediate plans to expand the herd, but it’s good to know that the flexibility to do so, if we want to in the future, is there.”
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