MILKING ROBOT FOR FAMILY FARM

TheClubMan

Well folks, I want to get people's opinions on milking robots. I'm looking at installing one on the home farm in the future. I'm interested in dairying and currently work for a large producer in my area. There's no debt on the farm. I'm in my twenties and my father in his fifties. He's currently milking 40 but with investment in grassland and infrastructure we could go to 60-65 cows. I could qualify for the 60% grant under TAMS. I've been to a few open days and I don't believe Lely are all they're cracked up to be. I quite like the fullwood merlins and they're more affordable. I would like to continue the dairy enterprise at home but don't want to be tied to a parlour 24/7 and I like the lifestyle the robot could bring. What are people's opinions on this?

6480

TheClubMan wrote: »

Well folks, I want to get people's opinions on milking robots. I'm looking at installing one on the home farm in the future. I'm interested in dairying and currently work for a large producer in my area. There's no debt on the farm. I'm in my twenties and my father in his fifties. He's currently milking 40 but with investment in grassland and infrastructure we could go to 60-65 cows. I could qualify for the 60% grant under TAMS. I've been to a few open days and I don't believe Lely are all they're cracked up to be. I quite like the fullwood merlins and they're more affordable. I would like to continue the dairy enterprise at home but don't want to be tied to a parlour 24/7 and I like the lifestyle the robot could bring. What are people's opinions on this?

A neighbor has a robot in two years now and is starting a parlour next month , there's not an hour in the day that some thing wrong, as he said if he put s in a parlour at least all the cows will be milked and done and dusted, robot s are not all of wat they put up to ,

yosemitesam1

TheClubMan wrote: »

Well folks, I want to get people's opinions on milking robots. I'm looking at installing one on the home farm in the future. I'm interested in dairying and currently work for a large producer in my area. There's no debt on the farm. I'm in my twenties and my father in his fifties. He's currently milking 40 but with investment in grassland and infrastructure we could go to 60-65 cows. I could qualify for the 60% grant under TAMS. I've been to a few open days and I don't believe Lely are all they're cracked up to be. I quite like the fullwood merlins and they're more affordable. I would like to continue the dairy enterprise at home but don't want to be tied to a parlour 24/7 and I like the lifestyle the robot could bring. What are people's opinions on this?

Would ya put in an auto calf feeder and basic 20 unit parlour for less than a robot?

Sam Kade

yosemitesam1 wrote: »

Would ya put in an auto calf feeder and basic 20 unit parlour for less than a robot?

Oversized parlour will still be there in 10 years the robot will probably need to be replaced.

X6.430macman

They can be bought second hand in other countries, some lads just trade them in

whelan2

If you look on the Teagasc discussion page on facebook there's a discussion on robots today

Sam Kade

X6.430macman wrote: »

They can be bought second hand in other countries, some lads just trade them in

I'd say you'd have some fun with that.

mahoney_j

Robots are the future and shouldn't be dismissed yes they take away the fact u don't have to milk twice daily but from few I know with them you really need to be on top of your game re management of cows and grassland .my parlour here is paid for in 4 years and very serious consideration will be given to them then if u want to see and talk to someone withbrobots and managing them and cows to a very high degree there's a guy called Aidan power near nenagh well worth a visit .he has two lely robots operating with cows grazing ,would put a lot of lads milking through conventional set ups to shame

yewtree

TheClubMan wrote: »

Well folks, I want to get people's opinions on milking robots. I'm looking at installing one on the home farm in the future. I'm interested in dairying and currently work for a large producer in my area. There's no debt on the farm. I'm in my twenties and my father in his fifties. He's currently milking 40 but with investment in grassland and infrastructure we could go to 60-65 cows. I could qualify for the 60% grant under TAMS. I've been to a few open days and I don't believe Lely are all they're cracked up to be. I quite like the fullwood merlins and they're more affordable. I would like to continue the dairy enterprise at home but don't want to be tied to a parlour 24/7 and I like the lifestyle the robot could bring. What are people's opinions on this?

There are just a way to milk cows and they are working on grass based farms.
The biggest issue is the cost and in terms expansion not as flexiable as parlour.
if you need investment in grazing infrastructure, winter housing and stock start there. You need the cows in place frist to pay for everything.
you will use your whole grand up on 1 robot, you could get 60% on winter housing.

Mooooo

yewtree wrote: »

There are just a way to milk cows and they are working on grass based farms.
The biggest issue is the cost and in terms expansion not as flexiable as parlour.
if you need investment in grazing infrastructure, winter housing and stock start there. You need the cows in place frist to pay for everything.
you will use your whole grand up on 1 robot, you could get 60% on winter housing.

+1

cute geoge

In fairness if your farm yard is in the centre of the farm it is a big advantage for robots otherwise you will end up adding alot of extra roads,fencing and gates .Imo for robots to really work well you need the abc grazing .I think they would be alot more popular only the farmyard is one corner of most farms or else land is across a public road .I would have one myself only for that reason .Thinking out loud there would seem to be alot of time spent having to wash down the robot every 4/5 hours ,if the robot was placed on a slat could this minimize the frequency of times washing down

Timmaay

cute geoge wrote: »

In fairness if your farm yard is in the centre of the farm it is a big advantage for robots otherwise you will end up adding alot of extra roads,fencing and gates .Imo for robots to really work well you need the abc grazing .I think they would be alot more popular only the farmyard is one corner of most farms or else land is across a public road .I would have one myself only for that reason .Thinking out loud there would seem to be alot of time spent having to wash down the robot every 4/5 hours ,if the robot was placed on a slat could this minimize the frequency of times washing down

From what I've seen, looks like a of alot less work with an ab system than abc, 12hr blocks instead of every 8hrs, less laneways needed etc. The top notch grassland farmers with robots seem to go for the abc because they don't mind being out measuring and moving pegs etc, the more relaxed go for ab due to the less time and effort needed.

visatorro

Just as good a lifestyle milking oad and costs nothing really.
Grazing needs to be perfect, it won't be if your working full-time off farm so your taking a chance on circa 150k.
I like the idea of robots but it definitely doesn't suit everyone and I'm not sure if suits me just yet.

kerry cow

Oad is second best to robots and beats tad into third .
Robots are there 24 / 7 , if you are older or have a injury they are fantastic . Also allow the dad to work on while you do something else with you time .
If it suits then go for it .
The people who chance is simply because they liked the concept but it didn't suit their farm .
If it fits your farm then good .
There are farms that it works in and their farm it don't. Go talk and make you mind up .
I will put them in , in time to come , as my son will have a off farm job and hopefully God will let me wash and vet the cows for him.

Command

Me Father and I have a robot be in 3 years this year and have to say we are very happy with it.i don't believe all this about them breaking down, a milking parlour can break down aswell.the biggest problem I see is the people that are working the robot u have to understand tat it will milk the cows but everything after that is ur job.Now saying all tat I do hope to put in a cheap parlour around €3000 to milk about 20 extra cows we have (downside of having a robot is the number u can milk)until I have the money and stock to put in a second robot as don't want to borrow the money. But all in all the life ya get from a robot is great and I write this from the hospital as I hold my new born baby

pedigree 6

Command wrote: »

Me Father and I have a robot be in 3 years this year and have to say we are very happy with it.i don't believe all this about them breaking down, a milking parlour can break down aswell.the biggest problem I see is the people that are working the robot u have to understand tat it will milk the cows but everything after that is ur job.Now saying all tat I do hope to put in a cheap parlour around €3000 to milk about 20 extra cows we have (downside of having a robot is the number u can milk)until I have the money and stock to put in a second robot as don't want to borrow the money. But all in all the life ya get from a robot is great and I write this from the hospital as I hold my new born baby

Congratulations!:)

You wouldn't have had time to make that if you didn't have a robot. :D

Ah no. Seriously Congratulations from the boardsies.

einn32

I've been working on a robot farm the last few months. All new to me but I was just wondering if there is anyone else working/running a robotic farm? Might be scope for a thread on issues etc. if there was a few on here. I've only ever seen discussion on thinking of putting some in.

I'm still undecided on them but I do think they're great most days. But I only have set hours, I don't have the phone that gives alarms at 2am so I'm not sure if that would lean me towards hating them. I definitely would find it hard to go back and physically milk again.

jaymla627

einn32 wrote: »

I've been working on a robot farm the last few months. All new to me but I was just wondering if there is anyone else working/running a robotic farm? Might be scope for a thread on issues etc. if there was a few on here. I've only ever seen discussion on thinking of putting some in.

I'm still undecided on them but I do think they're great most days. But I only have set hours, I don't have the phone that gives alarms at 2am so I'm not sure if that would lean me towards hating them. I definitely would find it hard to go back and physically milk again.

Theirs a mine of information over on the www.farmingforum.co.uk all robot related, would open your eyes re servicing and costs to maintain one and the carry-on of the crowd selling the red ones

einn32

jaymla627 wrote: »

Theirs a mine of information over on the www.farmingforum.co.uk all robot related, would open your eyes re servicing and costs to maintain one and the carry-on of the crowd selling the red ones

I'm only a few pages in and it makes for interesting reading!!

visatorro

I may have gone abit mad Ted

stanflt

visatorro wrote: »

I may have gone abit mad Ted

Don’t be daft dougal

Bass Reeves

visatorro wrote: »

I may have gone abit mad Ted

Did you invest on one or two

whelan2

visatorro wrote: »

I may have gone abit mad Ted

No way :eek:

Mooooo

See in the journal the cost has em at 150 for the first and 90 after for a second. Would need 3 here to allow for expansion to what the land could do if just cow's here and a tunnel or possibly two. The cost would nearly put them in comparison to a rotary as opposed to a heringbone

Panch18

visatorro wrote: »

I may have gone abit mad Ted

What have you done??!!!!