When Monkton, Ontario-based dairy producers Rick and Theresa Portena planned their recent expansion they decided that a 40-stall herringbone rotary milking parlour would anchor their operation.
The Portenas considered milking robots but they’re big fans of parlours. They like to get the milking done as fast and efficiently as possible and they don’t like to fetch cows. They also did their homework, observing that rotary parlours provide good cow flow and quicker loading and unloading than parallel parlours.
In this Dairy School episode, DeLaval Market Development Manager Mark Futcher offers tips and factors farmers should consider when determining whether a parlour is the right choice for their operation.
See related story: Portena Family Plans Expansion With Rotary Parlour
Futcher talks about the differences between parlours and the growing trend toward milking robots. “Robots are not for everyone, so too are parlours not for everyone,” he says noting that the choice ultimately rests on a number of factors including an individual’s management philosophy, productivity goals, operation layout and dynamics, herd size and succession plan.
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