Site hosted by Angelfire.com: Build your free website today!
S
| HOME | | COMPANY PROFILE | THE STORE | RECIPES| MILK | FAQ | DAIRY BIZ| FEEDBACKS|
First Robotic Milking System in America

Milking cows isn't what it used to be for Wisconsin dairy farmer Pete Knigge. In fact, it's full of change and opportunity. Knigge is the first dairy producer in the United States to use a robotic milking system on his farm. The system has been operational since early August, and Knigge said the system is allowing him to expand his business to a comfortable size. Knigge, who currently milks approximately 80 cows on his farm near Omro, Wisconsin, said he plans to expand the operation to 130-135 cows by the first of December. "We're very excited about this," Knigge said. "My son, Chuck, is in business with me, and my wife, Theo, is also actively involved in the business. We wanted to expand and modernize the dairy, and consultants told us to expand up to 300 to 400 cows. We were leery of that, though. For us, it was a choice of expanding and finding labor or going with technology. We hope the robotic equipment is an option for us, and we hope it's an option for other dairy producers with herds of 60-70 to 120-140 cows. " Knigge said the robotic milking system also frees producers from having to devote seven days a week, 365 days a year, every year, to their work. "I've been milking for 30 years, and my life has revolved around morning and evening milkings. With robotic systems, you're not tied down to milking. You still manage the operation, but you're not tied to it constantly." European Inspiration

Knigge said he first became interested in robotic milking systems when he went on a trip to Europe with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture in March 1999. "On the trip, we went to the Netherlands to learn about their manure management systems and regulations. One farm we went to had a robotic milker, and I was just fascinated with it. I had been thinking about expanding my operation, and thought this might be a way to do it." Robotic milking systems are nothing new in Europe. In fact, European farmers have used the equipment for nine years, and there are currently nearly 1,000 robotic milking systems in use worldwide, Knigge said. In fact, a large percentage of European dairy producers who build new dairy barns install robotic milking systems. European farmers aren't the only ones using robotic milking technology. Canadian farmers have used the technology for about a year and a half, so Knigge visited Canadian farms earlier this year to learn more about the equipment. Knigge now has two robotic milking units at his farm. Each unit has the capacity to milk 70 cows three times a day. The system, which uses Lely Canada Inc.'s Astronaut robotic milking equipment, has been operational since Aug. 2. While the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved robotic milking systems in the United States, Knigge's system is part of a pilot program. Interest in the new system has been tremendous, Knigge added. "Every day, people stop in to see the system, or they call to ask about it. When the equipment was at the Wisconsin Farm Progress Days earlier this summer, there was a constant crowd of people looking at it. Lots of people said it would never work, while others wanted to know where they can buy the system." Twenty-First Century Dairy Technology

The robotic milking system almost sounds like science fiction, thanks to its sophisticated laser technology and computer software. The system is designed to allow cows to choose how often they are milked each day. "The cows learn to milk themselves. You just have to see it to believe it," said Knigge, who used to milk his cows two times daily. "The cows can go through one to six times a day. I hope our high-producing cows go through five or six times a day." The cows wear an identification collar, and when they enter the robotic system, a computer scans information from the collar. The system may or may not milk the cow, depending on the cow's production level and stage of lactation. "The computer expects to get 20-25 pounds of milk per milking," Knigge explained. Once a cow has been approved for milking and is in the milking stall, she can move freely, both backwards and forwards, and can eat feed that is supplied in the unit. The robotic system then begins the udder preparation procedure. The equipment cleans the teats, and sophisticated laser technology pinpoints the exact teat position, allowing a robotic arm to quickly attach the cups. The technology can accommodate differently-shaped udders, awkwardly positioned teats and cows with three teats. The system removes the fore milk from each quarter. It also measures the milk flow from each teat. This allows cup removal time for each teat to be determined separately, which means there is no over-milking.

Once milking is completed, all the cups are removed, the teats are sprayed, the milk is measured and pumped away and the cow leaves the robotic unit. Milking information is saved in the robot's computer system. "The system accumulates data on the cows, such as how often they visit, their milk production, etc.," Knigge said. After milking is completed, the system thoroughly cleans the teat cups and helps wash away bacteria from the equipment. How quickly do cows adapt to the system? Talo Tamminga, a company representative for Lely, said younger cows typically adapt quickly, while older cows learn the system more slowly. "It takes an average of two weeks for cows to learn the system," he said. Knigge said the break-in process can be somewhat slow and tedious. "It takes the cows awhile to learn to go through the system. Most of the cows have been content to be in the milking equipment, though. Only a few have tried to kick it, and they found out that didn't work very well." Knigge said his Lely Astronaut is also compact and doesn't require a lot of space in his freestall barn. With a robotic milking system, no holding area or milking parlor is required, either. The robotic milking equipment also features an alarm system, Knigge said. "My son and I will be using pagers. If something goes wrong with the system, like it runs out of feed, or chemicals for washing are empty, it will call us. We also have a service contract with Lely. A service technician comes to the farm every five weeks to check the system." While this robotic milking technology is truly state-of-the-art, it doesn't come cheap. Knigge's first unit cost $175,000, and the second unit cost $160,000. The second unit was less expensive than the first, because the two units can share a computer system, Knigge explained. Knigge acknowledged that the initial cost of the equipment is high. "I plugged a $12 milk price into my business plan, however, and figure we're looking at a 10-year payback." The tight labor market also influenced Knigge's decision to use the robotic technology. "We are in northeast Wisconsin's Fox River Valley, and we have to compete with the paper industry for labor. We chose to go with the technology." "With robotic systems, you're not tied down to milking. You still manage the operation, but you're not tied to it constantly."

"The cows learn to milk themselves. You just have to see it to believe it," said Knigge. Despite the cost, Tamminga described U.S. farmers' response to Lely's robotic equipment as "phenomenal." "Farmers want to know if it is dependable, what the capacity of the robot is and the cost and rate of return of the equipment. They also have concerns about labor. The equipment is reliable, and it helps dairy farmers maintain their way of life. It also never complains about working on Christmas Eve," he said. In addition to solving labor problems, Tamminga said robotic milking equipment also allows producers to enjoy more free time, spend more time with family and friends and concentrate on managing their dairy herds more efficiently. Knigge's farm is not the only operation in the United States that will feature robotic milking equipment. Knigge said the North American-based milking equipment manufacturer Bou-Matic plans to install a robotic system soon at the University of Wisconsin-Madison's Arlington Agricultural Research Station. What advice does Knigge offer to U.S. dairy producers who are interested in robotic milking equipment? "Go up to Canada and visit the operations that have been using the equipment for awhile. Stay tuned and see how we do, too."

©2002 DAIRY FARMING ENTERPRISE.COM Copy Right Reserved