The milking robot and the automated stall
Together with food and manure management, milking is one of the key factors for the success of the dairy farm. Its automation involves not only a reduction of manpower but also a better state of the herd's health
There is no doubt that the so-called “milking robot” has been since the beginning of the ‘90 of the last century the first step towards automating tasks, causing an important change of the farmer’s role. With the advent of the robot, cows decide voluntarily when they want to be milked, and this results in a considerable variability in the ranges of interventions that have been shortened. In fact, compared to the traditional two daily milkings, the frequency has increased to more than 2.5-3 events/day (up to 4 for fresh high production cows), with an inevitable significant change in the company management and in the activity of the employees. The typical components of a milking robot are 1) the devices of recognition and selection of individual cows; 2) the containment box; 3) the robot arm; 4) the nipples location tracking system; 5) the udder washer; 6) The automatic coupler milking group.
Without a doubt, the greatest challenge about the milking robot was toidentify, first, the cow to be milked, and then attack the milking heads quickly and without errors. This is because, in addition to the inevitable anatomical differences of the udder tissue of different animals (sometimes considerable), contingent situations and dynamics must be considered, such as a temporary change of the udders shape, and above all the movements of the cow after entering the milking box. For this, the robotic arm and the udder location device have been the greatest technological challenge to focus on. The robotic arm can move in a default volume (prismatic, cylindrical, spherical), piloted by an udder location system which, in most robots, is based on a two-step process, first a coarse localization, and later a refined tracking.
Practically, first the udder is detected with a quick arm juxtaposition, then the placement must be micrometric, to allow the insertion of the nipple into the mouth of the sheath. This involves two stages with different sensors, but inevitably interdependent.
The most common solutions make use of a) tactile sensors (that is to say in contact with one or more parts of the cow); b) high frequency sound lasers (rotating), which detect the distance between the emitter and the surface on which the impulse impacts, based on time for reflection; c) infrared laser triangulation, with an optical sensor that measures the angle of reflection of the beam; d) digital camera and laser transmitter that illuminate the nipple, and process the image needed for an efficient identification.
The health of the cow
This is a key factor for ensuring the best productivity of dairy farming, not only in terms of quantity but also (and especially) of quality.
Therefore, the cleaning and disinfection of the nipples and the separation of abnormal milk are built-in functions of the milking robot, since it is well known that the main source of bacterial contamination of the milk comes primarily from the dirt settled on the udder and on the nipples. In the absence of the milker direct and visual control, the robot washes and disinfects by default. The conventional solution is based on a pair of contra-rotating brushes that (with several programmable treatments) clean the nipples with jets of hot water first, then dry brushing the udder, drying everything.
The position of the brushes is adjustable for optimum cleaning and a more effective detergent and massage action depending on the size of the udder. Obviously, the brushes are washed after each working cycle with a solution of water and detergent. A newer solution manages both washing and separation of the first jets of milk through a dedicated milker with injectors in the head of the sheath wiping the nipples with jets of hot water, that will be eliminated together with the first jets of milk, through a dedicated line. Alternatively, the 4 milkers can have also the washing function.
The brushes version better simulates the milker tactile stimulation whilst the integrated one has a more completed detergent action.
Anyway, all robotic systems involve the spraying of the nipples with a disinfectant solution after milking.
Milk quality and quantity
The milking robot has obviously used all the innovations in monitoring the quality of milk, especially in terms of health. As far as the microbiological aspect is concerned, checking the somatic cells still is the main factor (see box), in addition to quantifying the production for a single quarter of the animal, other sensors measure the conductivity, flux and blood flow in milk as well as the fat, protein and lactose content, such as the Crystalab marketed by S. TDM in San Paolo (BS).
The product that does not meet the requirements is separated and handled according to customizable protocols. Besides quality, intervals and number of milkings, also influence the amount of milk produced.
A robot that can perform, on average, 2.8-3 milkings per head/day increasing between 10 and 15% the average production, thanks to that daily milking more than the traditional scheme.
Sustainability
The milking robot has long been able of efficient energy consumption, especially those of electricity and water. The vacuum pump is often equipped with a frequency inverter, reducing up to 60% of the consumption compared to conventional solutions.
This is due to the system’s complete adaptability to the system’s vacuum demand, that can even modify the settings according to the specific operational needs of the machine.
Computing support
Of course, any robot can only use the most advanced computer applications, both to provide the best information to the breeder and to work in cooperation with the other facilities and equipment of the stable and, more generally, at the service of the farm. In addition to software for traditional PCs, the latest novelty is the development of dedicated apps to monitor and manage (obviously remotely), through tablets or smartphones, the settings and operation of the robot.
On the subject, Lely markets the T4C Total Health, a package specifically designed to monitor the herd health, making the most of all the data collected by the Astronaut robot, in order to carry out a real-time health check of each cow, by compiling a score that is compared with pre-set thresholds of criticality.
Among the numerous functions available, in addition to the aforementioned control of the health of cow (including heat probabilities), there are those relating to the performance of the robot, and also the monitoring of required interventions for preventive maintenance, and even the “Farm visit” that is, the ability to share the key performance indicators with the consultants remotely, so that they can get the most out of their expertise in the field.
OCC Cell counter by DeLaval
In addition to affecting the quality (and thus to define the final price), the cell count has long been the main measure adopted to identify, as early as possible, the mastitis.
DeLaval has developed OCC, an automatic online cell counter that, together with the Delpro herd management software, offers a daily proactively monitoring of the somatic cells level of every cow at every milking, with the ability to separate the milk of poor quality on the one hand, and to reduce the use of antibiotics on the other. Not only that, in this way it is possible to increase the milking frequency of the animals with a high cell load milking, to know their health more quickly. OCC is based on a digital camera that captures the image accurately quantifying the somatic cells’ nucleus.
To ensure accurate counting, after each milking the instrument is automatically washed and recalibrated.
Practically, a sample of 4 ml of milk is taken and mixed with reagents in a syringe pump to be then conveyed to the optical sensor of the digital camera that detects somatic cells, the amount of which is constantly reported to the management software.
This is a very useful function not only for early recognition of subclinical mastitis, but also for an efficient monitoring of the fresh cows udder health, and of the mastitis of treated animals (with a clear indication, in the latter case, of the appropriate time to reconsider the validity of the milk produced by these cows). Obviously, with OCC it is also possible to take bulk samples and manually measure them.
Automated single-box milking
Not only for large stables, but also for small ones. The German GEA produces the Monobox, a single-box compact milking robot for the automated milking of herds up to 70cows in lactation.
It is equipped with front or side output to ensure animal safe, easy, and fast access. The process can be managed with a large 12.1” touchscreen monitor placed behind the box, via the Mview software. The milk is gently treated, through very short pipes. Milk pumps are equipped with inverters for a low energy demand, while to limit the consumption of washing water (which is supplied only when needed), both the terminal and the “calf” vessels are very small. The milking routine is “single-phased” i.e. all routine actions are carried out inside the liner (attack, pacing, washing, first jets elimination, milking, and post dipping), while the low vacuum level preserves the udder’s health. For a complete control of the operating costs, Monobox is equipped with power meters, water, soaps, and detergents.
