A robotic grazing control system for dairy cows has been
developed by Lely.
The Dutch company already has Astronaut milking robots and
Discovery robotic muck-scrapers in its armoury. The Voyager is the
latest machine to join this high-tech line-up.
Essentially an automated strip grazing system, it utilises two
robots to move an electrified fence-line at a pace that ensures
that the sward is completely grazed.
Lely says that this ‘frontal grazing’ approach maximises grass
utilisation because the movement of the fence can be set slow
enough that cows consume all the forage on a given area before any
more becomes available.
This means that ungrazed areas are not poached or contaminated
by manure.
A BIT OF SCIENCE...
A study conducted by Dutch research organisation – the
Animal Science
Group – showed that an automated frontal grazing approach
increased grassland utilisation by 12% when compared with four day
rotational system.
This increase apparently translates into a saving in feed costs
of 0.68p/litre or a potential increase in milk yield of 90-litres
per cow from the same grazed area.
The study also found that milk production is more consistent
when using an automated grazing system because a constant amount of
forage is available at all times
HOW IT WORKS
Each robot runs along an electric fence-line at the side of each
paddock. Sensors monitor the angle of the wire relative to the
direction of travel and steering the robot accordingly.
Electric motors drive left and right pairs of wheels and use a
‘skid-steer’ technique to alter the robot’s course.
Power for these motors and the electric fencing unit is supplied
by a solar panel on each robot.
The fence-line can stretch to 200m and Lely recommends at least
1m is available per cow.
‘Spider-wheels’ set at intervals along the line ensure that the
wire is maintained at an even height across all contours.
A tensioner reel within one of the robots keeps the wire taught
at all times and allows the two units to move closer or further
apart as the follow uneven, angled boundaries.
The two robots communicate with each other via a
Bluetooth wireless connection and can be
programmed to drive the cows back to the parlour for milking at set
times throughout the day.
Having been tested in Northern Ireland last year, the Voyager
system will be available in limited number this year at a price of
about £15,000.
| Robot-controlled grazing |
|---|
- reduces forage waste
- increases cows’ harvesting efficiency by 12%
- saves labour
- avoids fluctuations in milk production and composition
- lower feed costs (can save 0.68p/litre)
- higher milk production from pasture (up to 90-litres extra per
cow)
- costs approx. £15,000
|