Tollerud Farms: Putting Fresh Cows on the Robots

    Many of you know that we installed robots to milk some of the cows last winter. Our first milking on the robots was November 27th 2012. We installed two Lely A4 robots. We are currently milking about 120 cows with the robots and 80 cows in the parlor. The robots feed a pellet to attract the cows to come into the robot to get milked. Because of the pellet, the robot cows cost more to feed than the parlor cows. The cows can milk up to 5 times a day.  Our parlor cows are milking, on average, 3 times a day vs. 2 times a day in the parlor. The extra milking translates into an increase in production. We put the older cows on the robots because older cows milk more. Our first calf heifers, some cows that don't work on the robots and later in lactation cows make up the parlor herd.
    This last week we've been busy trying to get field work done between the rain showers so when we had cows calve they got milked in the parlor. This morning I got 3 cows that calved this past week put on the robots. Each cow on the robot wears a collar that includes the cows number, a responder that the robot scans to identify the cow, and a weight to keep the collar from spinning. Before putting the cow in the robot group we have to make up a collar, enter the cows information into the computer along with her responder number, and singe the hair off her udder so the robot has an easier time to locate the teats. When the cow enters the robot for the first time we use the touch screen to guide the arm under the cow and get it close so it can find the teats. The robot uses lasers to locate the teats and attach the milkers.  There is a camera over the cow to locate where the cow is standing front to back. After the first milking the robot records the teat positions and remembers this the next time the cow enters the robot so it knows where to start looking. On average it takes about a half an hour to get a cow on the robot the first time. After the initial milking, we are averaging around 7 minutes per cow per milking.
     The cows are much happier with the robots. They choose when to milk, eat, socialize or lie down. The cows have transitioned to this system very well. We use washed sand in the stalls for the cows to lay on, it feels like laying on the beach. Comfortable relaxed cows will produce more. Cow comfort is very important. Another day I will include what the daily procedure for chores with the robots include.