by Katie Spring, Communications Manager
Can robotic milking work on a grazing system? Ben Williams, an organic dairy farmer in Fairfield, Vermont says yes – and his cows agree.
This grass-based organic dairy installed a GEA robotic milker with support from an NE-DBIC Organic On-Farm Milk Storage & Handling Grant. Installing the robotic milkers came as part of a larger project to replace the farm’s tie stall system and was also supported by a Vermont Housing and Conservation Board Implementation Grant, alongside business advising through the Northeast Farming Association of Vermont.
Now, one year into milking 100 cows with two robots, Williams is extremely happy with the new setup. His cows are, too – they’re calm, consistent, and bring themselves in from pasture when its time to be milked. The farm’s 12-hour rotational grazing system works well with the robots, and pairing grazing with this technology has led to increased milk quality and production. On top of these improvements, the robots save Williams hours of labor each day, letting him get ahead on farm management and seasonal projects.
Some of his extra time this summer went to hosting a field day co-sponsored by UVM Extension and Stonyfield.
Around 60 farmers and technical service providers joined from across Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine, showing interest in robotic innovation for dairy farms. The milking robots weren’t the only new equipment to highlight. Last year, Williams received an NE-DBIC Dairy Farm Improvement & Modernization Grant to install a robotic manure scraper in the same barn where the GEA robotic milkers are.
This project came as a result of participating in an NE-DBIC-funded Dairy Cohort focused on manure management. Through the cohort, Williams received technical assistance that built on previous business planning and identified robotic manure scrapers as the next step towards labor efficiency, improved animal health, and reduced fuel usage.
So far, Williams is impressed by the machine. Not only does it work better than the skid-steer, but it’s programmed to spray water behind it, which has improved traction for cows and farmers alike. The switch from a skid-steer to the robotic manure scraper has saved five hours of labor per day, equaling a labor cost savings of $100 per day. On top of that, the improved cleanliness has led to healthier cows with stronger feet and a savings of $300 per month on hoof trimming. Altogether, this totals an estimated annual savings of $4800 before reduced fuel use and other savings.
With these successful robot installations, Williams is now looking ahead at other ways to modernize farm systems for continual improvement. In the meantime, the cows are happy milking themselves.
If you’re a dairy farmer looking for grant funding, consider applying to the NE-DBIC Dairy Farm Improvement & Modernization Grant.
Applications will be open October 14 through December 4.
