Belgian milk producer Rudy Rotsaert, who farms at Klemskerke close to the West Flanders coast, is the first in Europe to install PipeFeeder concentrate dosing units in a rapid-exit milking parlour.
Expanding his business onto a second farm gave Mr Rotsaert the opportunity to invest in a totally new dairy unit with the emphasis on achieving a more efficient way of milking.
On the advice of Rommelaere NV, a Belgian dairy equipment company, he opted for a 2×16 rapid-exit milking system. This has a cantilevered, vertically moving steel frame that allows cows to leave the parlour quickly.
Like most milk producers Rudy Rotsaert sees many advantages in feeding during milking as cows then like to come into the parlour, which means there is no need for an expensive push-on gate.
Therefore he searched for a reliable and efficient concentrate feeding system to match the milking parlour. At Hanskamp AgroTech, an innovative Dutch company, Rudy found the concentrate dosator that lives up to his expectations, the PipeFeeder.
Thus, above every milking place a PipeFeeder made from robust stainless steel has been installed in a rigid frame. Once every cow is in place and the rear gate has closed the cow-recognition system ensures each individual receives the correct amount of concentrate based on her level of production.
During milking the cow receives several 80g portions of concentrate until the maximum amount allocated is reached. This is important as it ensures the farmer has control over the amount of concentrate fed and that none is wasted.
“The positive effect of concentrate feeding in the parlour was seen immediately,” Mr Rotsaert said. “In the new dairy unit, our cows are keen to come into the milking parlour, they are quiet and they let go of their milk more easily. Thus the milking time is reduced.
‘We certainly made an excellent choice by installing the very efficient PipeFeeder in parlour feeding system”.
For more information visit: http://hanskampagrotech.nl.
