The popularity of robot milkers continues to grow dramatically across Canada. Today, between 15 and 20 per cent of Canadian farms milk cows using robot technology. Ten years ago, that number hovered near five per cent. Western Canadian dairy farmers are the biggest adopters with between 25 and 50 per cent of farms in different… Read More
Category: Dairy robots
The Successors is a RealAgriculture podcast series hosted by Kara Oosterhuis focusing on agriculture from the perspective of the up-and-coming generation. How do you make the call on what technology to keep up with? When is the “right time” to get involved with politics? And who do you involve in your succession planning conversations? Gerrit… Read More
The Canadian Dairy XPO is expecting record crowds on April 5 and 6 as the dairy showcase returns to a live tradeshow format for the first time since 2019. “It’s really hard to put into words the excitement and momentum. Right from myself and my team to the industry and at the producer level, I… Read More
Dairy farming is labour intensive 365-days of the year. It’s also an industry that can be both physically and technologically demanding all at once. Because of the round-the-clock care dairy farms require, it takes a certain kind of temporary work force to fill in when farmers need time off. Martin VandenHoven, of Relief Herdsmen Services,… Read More
The Canadian Dairy XPO runs today and tomorrow of this week. It’s not too late to register for day two! For this Wednesday edition of RealAg LIVE! Jordon Underhill of the Canadian Dairy XPO joins host Shaun Haney to talk about XPO and all things dairy. Don’t miss an episode of RealAg LIVE! A new… Read More
If you were going to build a new dairy barn, would you choose a parlour or robots? What about Jerseys vs. Holsteins? Ethan Wallace, of Seaforth, Ont., switched to robots for milking his Jersey herd seven years ago, and he wouldn’t have it any other way. On this edition of RealAg LIVE!, Wallace joins occasional… Read More
If I want it done right, I’ll do it myself. Is that a phrase that you often say or think as a farmer? Delegation is a learned skill and one that doesn’t always come easily, especially if you’re used to working independently. On a recent Farmer Rapid Fire segment over on RealAg Radio, host Shaun… Read More
Robotics are changing the dynamics of dairy businesses, and co-evolving along with them. “Today, conventional dairies spend 50-60 per cent of the total labour on the physical act of milking cows, (and) only 10 to 20 per cent on feeding cows, five to 10 per cent on health, and the other 10 per cent on… Read More
Dairy milking parlour maker DeLaval has taken a new approach to moving cows efficiently through the milking process. DeLaval’s P500 parallel parlour showcases the company’s efforts to reduce the size of parlour footprints, making it a strong choice for both new builds and retrofits, says DeLaval market solutions manager Pat Wiltzuis. Last week at the… Read More
New technology and design modifications make the GEA R9500 dairy robot a smart option for producers looking at automated milking systems, the company says. The box-style robot from GEA Farm Technologies delivers real-time somatic cell count (SCC) monitoring, more precise and speedier teat cup attachments, as well as a redesigned frame to enhance cow flow,… Read More
Milking with single-box automated milking systems (AMS) has revolutionized the way dairy producers manage their herds. Current estimates indicate that 10 percent of the Canadian dairy herd are now milked by automated systems, and it’s growing. Globally, nearly 30,000 farms employ robots, according to a 2014 survey. Much of the conversation around dairy robots focus… Read More
Can robots effectively milk cows on large U.S. dairy farms? That’s a question Plymouth, Indiana farmer Brian Houin is determined to answer at his family-owned Homestead Dairy operation. Canadian farmers have had tremendous success using robot milkers in smaller dairy operations, but Houin is putting the milking machines to the test on a whole new level. In… Read More
Attendees of Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show, at Woodstock, ON, were treated this week to North America’s first look at DeLaval’s VMS V300 in action. RealAgriculture’s Bernard Tobin was there, and spoke with Francisco Rodriquez, DeLaval marketing manager, robotic milking/feeding, to get a full run-down on what the new voluntary milking system has on offer. Rodriquez… Read More
Milk cooler sales can tell you a lot about the state of the North American milk industry. As U.S. dairy farmers continue to struggle with low prices resulting from oversupply of fluid milk, sales of cooling systems reflect these challenging times in the marketplace. Mike Kelley, regional sales manager for Mueller Dairy Farm Equipment, says… Read More
The countdown to the sixth annual Canadian Dairy XPO is on as the dairy industry showcase readies to open its doors at the Stratford Fairgrounds on April 4th and 5th. Show attendance topped 16,000 in 2017, with 350 exhibitors representing 30 countries. CDX general manager and founder Jordon Underhill says a key driver of the show’s growth… Read More