Automation in dairying: New developments
1995
Rossing, W. | Devir, S. | Hogerwerf, P.H. | Ipema, A.H. | Metz, J.H.M. (Agricultural and Environmental Engineering Inst., Wageningen (Netherlands))
The development of systems for the detection and monitoring of sick cows and cows in oestrus are important features for improving the farm management. Sensors are available now for the in-line detection of mastitis and cows in oestrus. The in-line monitoring of milk quality and milk composition allows the farmer to optimize the individual feeding of high-yielding cows and to separate milk with a certain protein content. In-line measuring of the fat and protein contents can replace the time-consuming sampling done by the milk recording organizations. Equipment for automatically attaching milking units has been developed in various countries. In the Netherlands, IMAG-DLO has been conducting experiments on its experimental farm since 1990, to investigate the potential of a fully automated milking system. These experiments have ascertained the technical performance of the system, the efficacy of a selection unit for controlling the cow traffic, the impact of the selection units and AMS on cow behaviour and welfare, as well as the effects of more frequent milking on milk production and milk composition. Three Dutch firms have developed automatic milking systes and two (Prolion and Lely) have currently about 30 installations actually working on farms. In England, France and Germany similar sytems are being tested under laboratory conditions.
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