Published: January 17, 2008 07:15 am            

Robotic milking keeps family dairy farms viable

Originally published in the December 28, 2007, print edition.

“I manage an electronic machine instead of people.”

That comment by 34-year-old Nels Goblirsch of rural Wabasso relates precisely to their “why” of getting into robotic milking.

“Going robotic lets us milk 300 cows and farm 1,200 acres crop land without having to hire extra help. We’re a three-family dairy operation. Couldn’t do that without the robotics,” said Goblirsch, relating that accessing good labor is an increasing challenge for expanding dairy farms..

The robo-bug first bit in 1999, when Nels and brother Matt, 29, viewed robotic milking equipment at their first visit to the World Dairy Expo at Madison, Wis. They’ve since traveled to Toronto, Canada, to learn more about this technology that has electronics milking cows instead of people.

“The Canadians we’ve talked to absolutely love their robotic systems,” said Nels, manager of the current 130 wet-cow dairy and the “hands-on” guy when it comes to the sophisticated mechanics of the robotic systems. Today, two Lely Astronaut systems, built in Holland, are doing the 24/7 milking (and special feeding) of those cows. Two more Lely units are being added with the milking herd then expanding to 260 to 300 cows ASAP.

Matt manages the rest of this facility which includes mechanical feeding from a 26-foot by 100-foot Hanson concrete stave silo plus manure management of their slat-floored 300-foot by 140-foot totally enclosed and insulated facility. At this stage, the Goblirsch dairy operation probably ranks as one of the most technologically advanced dairy farms in Minnesota.

So what can a robotic milker do that even the best “hand milker” couldn’t do?

“It milks the animal on a quarter-by-quarter basis. So every decision that it makes during the milking process is based on each quarter, each teat. It detects milk quality from each quarter (and records this info), production of each quarter (also recorded each milking), any differences in milk color by quarter, even a paddle test that measures somatic cell count per quarter,” Matt said.

In the event a particular cow, even a particular quarter, has a mastitis flare-up, the Lely unit detects this “irregular” milk and automatically shunts that milk into a special dump tank. Upon entering the “milking stall,” revolving nylon bristles swing over and brush clean the teats and underside of the udder, the animal’s tag ID number triggers her high-energy feed allowance for that particular feeding, and a floor scale automatically weighs and records each cow’s daily weight.

“Getting the weight of each cow every milking really lets you stay on target as far as monitoring the overall health of your herd. Early in the lactation we expect some weight loss because so much energy is being expended to produce milk but after that first month, we want to see body weight slowly adjusting upwards again. This Lely system makes monitoring herd health a piece of cake,” Nels said.

A highly palatable, high-energy feed is the triggering mechanism that attracts each cow to the milking chamber, and the system is “fool proof.” If a cow has been milked within the past four hours, the robot knows that piece of information, automatically denying that particular cow entrance to the milking box.

“We’re averaging right at three milkings per cow in a 24-hour period. Several of the higher producers, however, get themselves milked four times. A few in the 120-pound milk category are doing their own 5X schedule. But some are also only 2X because they’re getting to the end of their lactation. Cows don’t naturally like to be milked but they do love to eat. Cows will go when food is offered. And that happens when the computer tells the robot that cow can get in and enjoy its special feed treat,” Nels said.

Cows can free-choice their PMR feed anytime. “We call it a Partially Mixed Ration, basically the alfalfa, silage and grain only. The special vitamin-protein-energy package to balance their total diet is what they’re eating as they are being milked. And that’s what makes the system work so good. She needs to come to the robot three to four times a day to balance her ration.

“Our goal is to get up to 75 pounds milk per cow. We’re at about 70 pounds right now after three months in this Lely system. So we think we’re doing terrific considering the setback our herd experienced with the previous system,” Nels said. They don’t keep Dairy Herd Information Association averages, preferring instead to keep daily tank averages.

With their robotic system they seldom have a sick cow. Somatic cell counts are so low they’re able to keep every animal in the milking line every day.

If the robot does detect a potential troubling udder, it sidetracks that milk immediately. “In essence it’s telling me what it has done and asking me what it should do for the next milking of that particular cow. At that point, we treat the teat and inform the robot to keep dumping milk from that cow. Or we let the robot know that it can now milk that cow.”

When a malfunction does occur, an automatic dialing system rings the cell phone of Nels or Matt so a quick on-site inspection generally remedies the problem. If there is a power shut down, a diesel-powered generator sits just outside the barn.

Because of cow comfort, udder, foot, hoof and overall herd health problems are almost non-existent. Water mats provide additional comfort in the free-stall system. Also, two touch-activated rotating brush units are at the pleasure of each cow whenever she feels it’s time for a rubdown along her back, or her rump only, or her neck.

“We saw these power massage units in Canadian barns. The Canadian dairy farmers couldn’t believe we didn’t have them in America. Our cows thoroughly enjoy this extra rubdown whenever they want it,” Matt said.

The barn is never cold, never too hot. Ceilings of this hip-roof barn are insulated. Plus, the centerline of the roof extends at a steeper angle so cow-heat readily escapes to the ceiling exhaust vents. Also, 12, 24-inch diameter fans steadily keep air in motion. A small John Deere tractor with a scraper-blade cleans slat floors twice daily. “Cows don’t even pay attention when I run the tractor scraper through the barn,” Matt said.

Does the comfort cows enjoy in this system mean more longevity, perhaps an extra lactation, or more?

That should be a benefit, but the brothers say more time is needed.

The herd even enjoys the comfort of natural breeding. A Production Registry-proven Red Holstein bull currently has free reign within the barn and settling rates are about 100 percent.

“We’re told robotic milking and free-stall, comfort barns with computerized feeding will extend life. Some Canadian farmers say five lactations are very doable, some even said six. But at this stage we’ll just have to wait and see. Previously even sorting cows for AI breeding, or trimming hooves was unsettling to the rest of the cows. So with complete freedom to set her own schedule for sleeping, for eating, for milking, for her back rub, even for mating, it just seems we should have cows hanging around longer than in the previous system,” Nels said.

Two 4,000-gallon stainless steel tanks handle the milk. Currently milk is picked up every two days, but it will be a daily occurrence when 300 cows are in the operation. The milk hauler does a quick disconnect that automatically starts pumping milk into the other tank. He then connects an automatic rinse-disinfect system that flushes and readies the tank for the next day.

It calls to mind that slogan made famous by Carnation Milk Co.: Milk from Contented Cows. Spend a few minutes observing the cows on this Redwood County dairy farm and contentment is everywhere. “It was important for us that the boys felt good about taking over the dairy farm. Robotic milking has been a good way to transition our sons into the dairy business. Both are enjoying the new world of milking cows,” said Mary Clare, mother of Nels and Matt.

Dairying is a fourth-generation history for the Goblirsch clan. Mary Clare was one of nine children. She chuckled, “I guess it was meant to be. My wedding gift from my parents was 12 heifer calves.”

Nels and Matt said their wives wouldn’t have taken kindly to the same type of wedding gift. Nels and wife, Shannon, have two children, Cadence, 4, and Mikale, 6 months. Matt’s wife is Sarah. Mary Clare’s husband, Bernard, rounds out the foursome now making up the partnership of this family dairy operation.

        

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