Social media and news outlets are bursting with ideas for New Year’s resolutions and strategies to keep them. There are tips for everything from saving money to losing weight or giving up a bad habit. Here are some good robotic milking habits that you could consider starting for the new year. And, Cow Corner can have your back if you need help keeping them.
Calibrate feed stations – I know this is tedious and it stops the robots. If it isn’t done on a regular basis, it probably isn’t done. Not only does it ensure that cows are being fed accurately, it is also an opportunity to see, smell, and touch what your cows should be eating. I recommend monthly calibration.
Empty the feed bin – This follows logically after calibrating feed stations. Moisture moves in pellet bins and can create a buildup which restricts flow or contaminates feed. New systems should be designed with 2 bins. Existing single bin systems need to plan so that feed can be delivered promptly when the bin is emptied. I recommend emptying 2-bin systems every other fill, and single-bin systems every 6 months.
Restart the computer – Every computer, even your phone, works better if it is restarted regularly. Robots and other system components should be restarted according to manufacturer’s recommendation. I recommend restarting the main computer every week.
Update your software – Cloud based systems can have updates pushed from the manufacturer. Many PC based systems require manual updates. Some dairy equipment software updates have obvious user benefits such as streamlined entry or operational features. Other updates work behind the scenes for greater system stability and more efficient robot operation. I recommend following the manufacturer’s guidelines.
Singe udders – Udder hair makes it difficult for robots to see teats. It’s not just the hair, but the bedding and more that sticks to the hair. Older generations of robots will fail to attach with too much hair – newer generations of robots will attach less efficiently. Clipping is fine if you prefer. Frequency will vary with seasons and housing conditions.
Track refused feed – To borrow an over-used phrase, you can’t manage it if you don’t measure it. If you choose to count loader buckets, weigh a bucketful for calibration and record the number of buckets each day. The balanced ration in the bunk depends on an accurate estimate of dry matter intake. Cow flow depends on keeping feed available.
Check the interface – Herd management software communicates with milking equipment software to exchange milk weights and management information so you don’t have to enter everything twice. Communication is not always perfect. Some events do not transfer by design. Some errors are created when events are entered in the herd management program, automatically sent to milking equipment program, and later changed in the herd management program but not in the milking equipment program. I suggest using program utilities to review the interface weekly.
Review cow and system settings – An 8 robot, 500 cow herd with 2 feeds in the robots has over 7,000 different setting points for cows, robots, and feed – not including herd settings for cleaning, feed tables and milking permission. Preferred settings can change as conditions change in the barn. Mistakes can be caused by anything from keystroke errors to procedural drift. A thorough and systematic review of system settings can improve performance and catch small problems before they become big problems. Cow Corner can review settings with an annual checkup or a monthly program – through remote access if necessary.
Are you wondering how you can keep all of these resolutions? You probably don’t need to keep them all. There are some you are probably already doing. There are others that don’t apply to you. Contact Cow Corner for help with the ones you decide are important to you.
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