Parlour size for one-man set-up 140 cows

[Will Blackburn]

Just to get back to the what size conundrum, I’m interested to know why it is that a lot of you have said 20/40 (and I ask this as someone who milks in an abreast so no experience) and yet if I think of one man herringbones near me, the guy in the 12/24 gets on just fine, the guy in the 15/30 struggled and has now added some automation and gets on fine but the guy in the 16/32 basic parlour couldn’t keep up and has now extended the parlour and milks with two people!

Does it just come down to individual routine? Is there a compromise between speed and hygiene that comes with parlour size?

ACRs keep you sane, and allow for distraction and would be my non-negotiable. Auto wash would be on a nice to have list, so would auto dip/flush. Along with auto id, dip/flush have a significant effect on manageable parlour size and throughput.
Routine makes all the difference in requirements, winter time 15:30, summer time 25:50 per operator would suit as we adapt, hence we focus on keeping full winter to 12 weeks or less.

 

[Homesy]

I used to milk 320 cows in a 16/32. ADF and dry wipe but no feeders. Cows were slow to load but I was still doing 90 cows/hr.
On your routine anything more than a 16/32 is wasted. Spend the extra money on cow flow, plenty of room in front of the parlour, a backing gate if needed, a bloody big volume washer and an automatic wash system so you can walk away as soon you have hung up the last cluster.

 

[jimmer]

 

[Will Blackburn]

Misguided, too much bobbing around, that’s how we operate now. Need enough units so when working from one end to the other units are ready to go.
I know where he’s getting at because against a doubled up it’s ultra maximising the equipment. Labour is always going to become more expensive so maximum output per operator should dictate configurations.

 

[pappuller]

Been on robots for 7 yrs but milked through a gradually increasing size of parlour up to a 24/24 when we finished.
We were at 140 cows when we finished in the parlour.
If I was starting again with a parlour I would personally go for a swing over to maximise efficiency.
Make the pit big enough to add at least 4 additional points if required.
If your a true block calver batch feeders, if not and you feed to yield auto id for feeding, heat detection and segregation and clusterflush system.
For your number of cows I would think you could handle 20 units if you have the aids to assist you, auto feeding will speed milking up considerably.
Just my thoughts

 

[Triangle]

We have a 20:20 auto id feed to yeild auto seg gate veri vac ect 140 cows washed down everything under 2 houres managed it in 1h 30 one night few less cows that night tho . Dont have auto wash but do have auto chemical as paraseatic splashed played havock with my wrists auto chem is home brew but Cotswold do a system quite happy without autowash i can get away with a lot less hot warter but that is because i let milkline drain welst i drop filter out and ensure reciver is empty and platecoolers drain because vacume level drops so theres no cold warter in the plant anywhare when the hot enters all of thet happens in the about 60 second it takes for the hot to drop out . Helps the chemical is just push a button . Have a 200l heater no bactoscan issues . I know of the same parlour on auto wash has a 360-380l Cotswold ... Bugger paying to heat all of that extra warter

 

[Sylution]

Have a 14x28, with acr, and feed box at back of parlour so feed cows as they enter, just fed by tail tape, just 2 groups usually, 3kg and 1kg/milking, auto feed would speed up the job. Auto wash is great, and just gets on with the job. Ours takes 20 mins for pre wash, hot wash, and cold rinse. In winter I am on 6 batches out in 1 hour, and 10 batches done in 1hour 30 on my own. Summer could be 8 batches in an hour. Cows go out of the way much faster then, they dont have the urge to exit the parlour now, and some like a peak in every trough and then some turn around and be the bully and stop cows coming out.

 

[jimmer]

Misguided, too much bobbing around, that’s how we operate now. Need enough units so when working from one end to the other units are ready to go.
I know where he’s getting at because against a doubled up it’s ultra maximising the equipment. Labour is always going to become more expensive so maximum output per operator should dictate configurations.

I agree, I'm on with putting in a 20/40 now, for 200 cows one man operation, but minimal teat prep

 

[Milkcow365]

Just finished noon milking here, way it worked out I was alone, started kicking out at 12 and that’s me just heading out the door. 362 cows about 3900litres and all the beds saw dusted to I feel like I’ve run a marathon but it wouldn’t of been possible without adf and a backing gate.
So but it wasn’t out of the way so I imagine 140 through it would of been pretty fun. And it’s only the price of a 200hp tractor.

 

[Homesy]

Just finished noon milking here, way it worked out I was alone, started kicking out at 12 and that’s me just heading out the door. 362 cows about 3900litres and all the beds saw dusted to I feel like I’ve run a marathon but it wouldn’t of been possible without adf and a backing gate.
So but it wasn’t out of the way so I imagine 140 through it would of been pretty fun. And it’s only the price of a 200hp tractor.

Exactly what is only the price of a 200hp tractor ?

 

[easy farming]

Interesting, most of the folk I've spoken to have said that the Clusterflush and Auto wash unit are the two things they wouldn't be without.

For me, i'm leaning towards clusterflush because i have a proportion of the cows on straw yards and manual dunking of clusters in Peracetic acid over the years has more or less eliminated contagious mastitis. At circa £220/point (after the FETF grant) I view it as cheap insurance against mastitis.

As for the Auto-wash unit, at the end of milking I want to be able to press a button and walk away from it and concentrate on swilling out or feeding calves. I also want it to be as simple as possible for my relief milker, and to guarantee consistency of wash cycle when they milk.

We put autowash in last year, depending on where your dairy wash water goes it might not be "press button and off you go" but it does give a consistent wash whoever milks, would probably miss it now.
A friend put in cluster wash and it reduced his SCC and he loves it.

 

[Blue.]

I’ve had various sizes over the years but found my 15/30 faster than my 24/24,12/24 was ok but was 1m standing,I’d never double up again,seriously considering concreting the back 16 up in my 32/64 to make it a one man parlour again,I think 20/40 is a bit long for 1 man,we really struggle with cow flow due to tmr,cows just never move anywhere in a hurry.

 

[Real cool]

Well what was the decision after all that

 

[Holsteinfriesian90]

Well what was the decision after all that

Probably went pub for a beer and forgot all about it.

 

[Real cool]

Yea I remember it well

 

[AE01]

Well what was the decision after all that

Ended up ordering a 16/32 with Auto ID/feed to yield/Clusterflush/Autowash and seg gate.

Basically milked in a 12/24 and thought it was too slow, and milked in a 20/40 and thought it was overkill so hopefully a 16/32 should be about right for me. A 16/32 is also the maximum I can realistically get in the available space without compromising collecting yard space etc.

Thanks everybody for their input

 

[Martyn]

Ended up ordering a 16/32 with Auto ID/feed to yield/Clusterflush/Autowash and seg gate.

Basically milked in a 12/24 and thought it was too slow, and milked in a 20/40 and thought it was overkill so hopefully a 16/32 should be about right for me. A 16/32 is also the maximum I can realistically get in the available space without compromising collecting yard space etc.

Thanks everybody for their input

Roughly what does a singing and dancing parlour that spec cost these day? I wouldn't have a clue £150k?

 

[Real cool]

Good luck

 

[Jdunn55]

Ended up ordering a 16/32 with Auto ID/feed to yield/Clusterflush/Autowash and seg gate.

Basically milked in a 12/24 and thought it was too slow, and milked in a 20/40 and thought it was overkill so hopefully a 16/32 should be about right for me. A 16/32 is also the maximum I can realistically get in the available space without compromising collecting yard space etc.

Thanks everybody for their input

Sounds nice, what make did you go for?

 

[Holsteinfriesian90]

Be interested to see some pictures when it’s up and running.