Cow Flow concepts

The planning of a new milking unit raises many questions. If you are thinking of buying a milking robot then you should be aware of all the advantages that an automatic milking system can offer. To convert milk production to an automatic milking system you need:

• To define your targets,
• To analyze all the processes in your farm for their suitability for incorporation in the new system,
• To develop a new barn concept bearing in mind all the existing equipment.

GEA Farm Technologies will be happy to support you in adapt in these examples to meet the circumstances of your own farm and in all phases of the switch over. We have more than 20 years planning experience and we are able to develop individual concepts for you, so that your cow traffic always flows smoothly.

Selectively guided cow traffic

So the capacity of the milking robot is optimally used, GEA Farm Technologies routinely employs the principle of "selectively guided cow traffic": The cows are automatically selected according to their readiness for milking. Cows which the computer recognizes as ready for milking are guided into the holding area of the milking robot. All other, not yet ready for milking animals, are sent directly to the feeding area. Only cows that are ready for milking can access the robot, which increases the throughput of your plant. A further important advantage: animals, that require your special attention can be efficiently and simply led through for milking as a group.

Automatic animal selection with Guided Exit and Free Exit

The core thought behind the milking centre is the incorporation of a holding area with pre-selection as well as the option of also selecting animals after milking.

Prior to the actual milking box accesses, there is a driving passageway. The gates to the driving passageway are switched in parallel with the gates to the milking boxes. Animals that are exiting from the milking box are thus guided directly to the eating area or optionally to an additional selection, in which the animals are sorted into various barn areas.

This offers various advantages:

• Already milked animals cannot direct access a milking box for a second time and thus temporarily block the box for animals that are ready for milking.
• Milked animals do not cross over with the animals to be milked in the holding area.
• The capacity of the holding area is available solely for cows that are ready for milking.
• The possibility of an additional selection directly after the robot is provided.

In contrast to the Guided Exit, there is NO driving passageway in front of the robot. Milked animals pass through the holding area and pre-selection back to the barn area. Animals whose milk yield remains below and adjustable threshold value can be directly reselected back to the holding area. This option is of particular interest to farms in which for building layout reasons, a direct integrated additional selection in the milking centre cannot be realized.

Advantage of free exit:

• No costs for an additional driving passageway!

GEA Farm Technologies is planning for you as it is best for your business. The following areas should be given particular consideration in the design of a cow-friendly barn concept:

• Lying areas
• Feeding area(s)
• Holding area
• Selection area
• Calving area