Robot de traite :questions that arise after its start-up
The implementation of robotic milking profoundly transforms the farm and the Work organization. It is also accompanied by an increased amount of information about the herd that must be taken into account to maximize technical and economic results.
This article details the various issues that arise after starting up a robot, and provides avenues for answers to successfully transition to robotic farming.
Training and issues
To acquire and operate a milking robot, it is necessary to receive appropriate support and training to ensure optimal handling.
In this regard, the first questions to ask concern the following points:
- The herd management.
- The feeding and supplementation at the robot according to the results of the farming.
- The management of robot attendance.
- The monitoring and control of milk quality.
- The work organization.
Robot attendance
When starting robotic milking, one sometimes observes too low attendance of the robot by the cows. Such a phenomenon is often a cause for concern; to remedy it, it is important to interpret it according to the situation and the farm's objectives.
It is especially necessary to determine whether this attendance problem is global, or if it is caused by certain cows only. A detailed analysis of the animals, of certain groups of animals according to their stage and production allows for an initial assessment and already provides some insight into the existing problems.
The potential causes of this issue are varied and can stem from a single element or several at once. They must therefore be analyzed methodically one by one: robot settings, metabolic problems, feeding, building and robot layout, geobiology, or even the farmer's work organization.
Monitoring milk quality
A milking robot can provide a quantity of indicators to the operator, starting with the quality of the milk collected.
When this quality is degraded (or deteriorating), it is again necessary to explore a wide variety of information to isolate the causes and solve the problem. One can then analyze the robot data in detail, reflect on the farm staff's mode of operation (interventions, data monitoring, etc.), work on the robot settings, and carry out observations on the machine.
Observation during the farm round or taking specific measurements also allow detecting issues stemming from the environment. Usually, the quality of ventilation, the building organization, housing management, and other animal welfare issues are checked.
As with herd hygiene, the key to good milk quality management lies in anticipation. For example, the implementation of certain methods to limit infections or even the use of antibiotics can be recommended.
Impact on on-call work
With a robot, on-call duty is completely different from farms with a milking parlor. It is imperative for the farmer to adapt to their milking robot and adjust their work organization accordingly.
Three questions help lay the foundations of this new organization:
- Which reports to consult?
- At what frequency?
- Which animals to manage specifically?
Settings
The settings of a milking robot must be adapted to the specificities of each farm: management & animal profile, size of the herd, etc. Thus, settings on feeding, milking, and acceptances can vary from one farm to another to optimize performance and facilitate the start-up of robotic milking.
Summary
The implementation of a milking robot can be a performance accelerator at the farm scale. However, when the conditions for proper operation are not met, it can very well lead to a degradation of these same performances. It is therefore essential to anticipate the start-up of automatic milking and to seek optimal performance. This approach being vast and complex, it often requires external support.
