Automatic calf feeder, advice please?

Some calf facilities I saw last week.

Keepgrowing wrote: »

Another one

Not a fan of last one.

Designing calf shed atm.
Straw bed inside along with feeder (eventually) with access to a shelterd hardcore/woodchip area outside.

Timmaay wrote: »

GrasstoMilk wrote: »

Not a fan of last one.

Designing calf shed atm.
Straw bed inside along with feeder (eventually) with access to a shelterd hardcore/woodchip area outside.

Trying to decide what to do with calf sheds here also, as their temporary home the last 2yrs is now for incalf heifers. 2bh the more I think about it the less I want a specific house for the calves, I hate having to reuse the same calf pens within the one calving season (huge disease risk), instead I think I'll keep working on making more pins as flexible as possible, to put in temporary calf pens as is needed. I think I'll use an indoors silage pit for the early calves this yr, it will definitely be emptied of silage by Feb, the March calves can then go into the incalf heifer shed, and april on into the cubicle sheds which will be empty by then. Kitting out some mobile calf pens shouldnt cost me more than 2/3grand, against 10/15 for some sort of dedicated calf shed.

Actually having said all of that, considering I'm approaching a flying herd, and don't expect more than 10 replacement heifer calfs next yr, maybe I should jsut be flogging on all calves come 10days old?

Timmay regardless if flying herd or not I'd work towards having enough accommodation for calves. Getting locked up and being stuck with or worse a run of crypto or something and it could turn to a disaster very quick. Will be getting the first 20 or so heifer calves off farm to to out farm where brother will rear on milk replacer to allow space this spring. Took an awful hammering here with calves here last spring so hopefully this will help

Mooooo wrote: »

Timmay regardless if flying herd or not I'd work towards having enough accommodation for calves. Getting locked up and being stuck with or worse a run of crypto or something and it could turn to a disaster very quick. Will be getting the first 20 or so heifer calves off farm to to out farm where brother will rear on milk replacer to allow space this spring. Took an awful hammering here with calves here last spring so hopefully this will help

Don't think I'd ever be stuck for shed space, especially not in March when likes of crypto etc at their worst, however having the sheds ready for calves could be the issue, esp while juggling everything else to do with calving season.

Keepgrowing wrote: »

Mooooo wrote: »

What kind of weather conditions do they deal with there?

Eastern Europe -10 snow

That row of single hutches outside is for starting calves. There's 70 there with 140 in the shed adjacent. All calves are then moved to igloos that hold 10. Labour not expensive. The igloos outside with a covered well ventilated feeding and loafing area is what I'm planning, just need to see some more




I have a video that I can't up load.

Holm & laue have that system on their site. There used to be a lad up north selling it I think. Dunno what they charge Altho I'm sure some of it could be done cheaper the price they put on it. The shed they had between the igloos could wheeled out the way for cleaning out. If they would do in blowing wind and rain is what I'd be interested in, cold wouldn't bother me do much. Had aut calves in a sheltered paddock from birth till about 4 weeks roughly for the oldest one last year and they were hardy out

What think ye of a decent big straw needed shed shed, auto feeder in the centre with feeding stalls off it and a couple of round bales distributed around the place for extra shelter (they can lie at the base of them out of the wind) and let them at it?...about 50 calves...fresh bedding every so often

then come along when they're out to grass and take up the bales and clean up after them with the bucket on loader, this is what I was thinking of doing

I detest cleaning up little pokey stalls with a grape etc etc

Almost coming to a decision on purchasing.
3 types of feeders:
Forster Technik (sold in various specs by Volac, Lely, DeLaval, GEA)
Holm & Laue (sold in Ireland by Dairymaster)
Urban Calf mom Alma (sold by volac)

The forster has 1 mixing bowl so each calf has its own feed concentration but only one calf can be fed at one time unless you put in an IFS pump and then all calves get the same concentration anyway. The feed is prepared fresh each time but if a calf comes in and fails to finish the portion (not going to be a large amount) then another calf can finish this portion but it can also be dumped if no other calf visits. Liquid or powder feed additives can be added too.
The spec varies alot depending who is selling, the volac, Delaval and GEA models have a weigh cell on the mixing bowl so calibration of water and powder is done i think 3 times per day. The lely version doesn't have this as standard.
The volac have the latest version of the feeder (Vario smart) and only difference seems to be the software is accessible through the phone app. How useful this actually is and does it make you a better stock man I'm not too sure.


The Holm & Laue is a very impressive feeder to be fair and the newer model with the hygiene station does make sense. They can come with 2 mixing bowls and each mix is fresh and specific for that calf. They have this theory of metabolic programming where they claim if you feed 15% solids in first few weeks and then lower to 12.5% then you'll have better cows ( i do wonder though ) A feed additive either liquid or powder can be added specifically for each calf. Each calf gets their own milk ration and like the forster it is dumped unless another calf comes within a certain time. The teat is cleaned up to the nipple after each feed and the outside if the teat is sprayed with water and this is collected in a tray under neath. The teat is also lit up with a led light.
They are meant to have a temperature sensor at the feed station and then mix the milk at a warmer temperature so that by the time it arrives and the calf it is 37 degrees.


The urban is a very popular feeder around these parts and they now have one where 4 stations can be fed at one time. I have read that if 4 calves getting alot of milk then it will have a job to keep up but they still get their portion.
There is a float in the mixing bowl and there is a float in each of the flasks at the feed station which measures how much each calf drinks.
The milk is kept warm and circulated around - arguments for and against this (if feeding whole milk bugs will have a nice time. but then milk is always available at the teat ready to drink).
Another thing is that powder additives cant be fed specifically to one calf as they are all getting the same milk mix. Liquid additives can be fed on a per calf basis.
The other two feeders do only an alkaline wash, the urban does an alternating alkaline and acid wash.

The cleanliness of the machine depends largely what you are feeding with, Heiferlac does not seem to cause a problem but there is a french brand that caused hassle for some farmers last year. Of course whole milk would require a higher detergent rate.

All can work off tags or collars, i have the EID tags ordered from mullinahone, they were 1 euro extra, where as a collar was 20-30 euro but could be reused each year.

All who sell them say you must have stable water pressure and dairymaster recommended having a barrell over head as a header tank (not too gone in this idea as think you could end up with a breakout of crypto or similar).

Having looked at them all I'm fairly sure we will go for an urban. they are too popular in my opinion to have any major issues and anyone that has one is happy with it. some have upgraded and stayed with the urban brand. Then of course as they are so popular availability of parts and labour that knows the machine is there.
Was fairly fixated on the H&L but after hearing dairymaster may end up dropping the brand and make their own then its too risky. Also there is a good enough price difference between the urban and H&L.


I talked to alot of people with all different makes and they are all happy with what they have and none could find fault. At the end of the day it comes down to money. Lely and Volac have deals done with DLL Finance. Both are offering 0% with about 25% deposit up front (vat plus a bit) volac is over 30 months and i think lely is over 36 months. Both would give a bit of milk powder too which does add up!

Fairplay Cow Porter, that is a very comprehensive review. I am looking at putting in a feeder myself and this is a great help. How much is the urban working out it if you don't mind me asking?

Cow Porter wrote: »

for a 2 station powder only machine and using own tags:
Forster range in price from 7,500 to 10,000 depending on spec
H&L listed at 9,800
Urban listed at 9,800

all plus vat. Gave listed price as its up to individuals to bring them down :rolleyes:

the 0% finance, 'free' bags of powder and local back up swung us to volac

Just wondering how many calves will you put on it over the spring with 2 stations ?i'm calving around 110 would you get away with 2 if you are selling 40?

GrasstoMilk wrote: »

Working on calf design for shed here for autofeeder.
This looks like the best option. 35/40 calves each side.
Have a 75ft wall to put up at side of shed (top of picture) and double sided Yorkshire boarding on top of that for ventilation.
At back of shed once the calves get hardy they'll have access to a hardcore/woodchip pad enclosed by electric wire.
Will be no slatted tank this year at feeding area but will in time.

Other option is to use middle bay as feeding area but cleaning out would be awkward

Any input appreciated

Is it possible to split the shed the other way? The pens as they are look a bit long and narrow, be a lot of traffic at the feeder end and wet bedding at the end of the bedding area closer to the feeder. Splitting the other way would leave more bedding area and more dispersed traffic.

GrasstoMilk wrote: »

Had the 2 volac lads here today, the way you say and the drawing I have up there are the 2 options they came up with for us.

Do you think it would be wet even with the right slope and tank at front? No floor in shed atm so it'll be easy set it to the right falls

It would have to be with all the traffic generated from 35/40 calves making regular trips to the feeder and you have all the liquid channelled into a narrower area than if you had the shed configured the opposite way.

RightTurnClyde wrote: »

Green, what's the shed 75 x 22?
Are the doors at the bottom of the drawing already there.
How many stations 2 or 3

You'll need a training pen that can be opened up as the calves get bigger, or they'll drive you mad.
The two long pens wouldnt be my first choice.
Passage up the middle bag, with 2 pens left and 2 right, that can be opened into 1 left and 1 right.
Remember youll be lifting in bags once or twice a day so you want the pallet of replacer beside the feeder indoors, the middle passage would be ideal
It gets very slobbery near the stations, because they let out water when rinsing and it's nice to be able to rinse off the saliva some days.
Keep your hay racks, water troughs and meal troughs on the barrier beside the passage, does away with the lifting and dragging.

Yeah 75x22
Shed has one wall on the other 75ft length. Galvanised sides and feeding barriers at front atm. Used for dry cows
Going for 2 stations atm but feeder can take 4 stations.
From talking to the 2 lads the best way to do it would be to have gates hanging on each bay- have them closed up in 1st bay when starting and open up as groups get bigger.
start 1st 10 on one side then other 10 on the other side, join 2 groups up then and carry on like that.

The way drawing is there I'd have 10ft of 1st bay (or less) for feeder and meal/powder.
Rethinking this morning I will have feeding station's on half the tank and then the straw bed can run up onto the other half to stop it holding water and getting soggy wet.

Maybe not suitable either?

The way your saying there was the other oprion with half the middle bay as a training pen but cleaning out and positioning of the tank is the issue

RightTurnClyde wrote: »

Anyone feeding whole milk through the auto feeder. I was thinking about getting the feeder upgraded to take whole milk, but it is going to cost 1500 and I'm also concerned about higher disease risks.
My plan was to feed 50:50 whole milk:milk replacer.
So anyone feeding whole milk through them, good job/bad job?

Don't know anyone feeding thru a auto feeder but the lad that buys calves off me was getting good whole milk for feck all the year pre quota abolition so mixed it with milk replacer. Said he had a lot more bother so ended up sticking with just the milk replacer, now I dunno what the issue was whether it was the whole milk wasn't kept cold enough or nutritional scours or what. When we fed whole milk ad lib years ago it was thru a spring feeder so milk was taken at 3 degrees from bulk tank put in to tank of feeder with a gentle agitator in it and the line went to a stainless container sitting in a warm water bath with a ballcock in it with 6 lines to teats coming out. Only ever a few litres in the water bath most milk for the day was cold in the tank. Calves did grand but used a good bit of acidifier, milkshake was the brand I think.