Robotic milking

[Sid]

Has anyone ever been using robots without any service contract, and say stick to what ever software there running, just for example like an iPhone there’s always updated needed but it still works perfectly fine without doing it? Will the robot companies sell you parts if your not in a contract?

No contract here on s/h vms
Pay for things as and when needed.

Service contract is like insurance. You either pay the premium or pay the costs. Win some you lose some?

 

[Chips]

Ha ! Happy cows and Clem dog you must be mind readers ,as I've just sat down for breakfast and rang my delaval dealer .
They require a min of a service only contract which he is going to email to me but thinks it may be similar to Lely but I haven't told him what lely are for yet so wait and see .
With regard to breakdown callouts he said to come out to me and do an hours work would be roughly £150 in total plus parts obviously which I am free to buy from who ever I like .
The same from Lely if I go on their £3200 service only contract would be
£15 for the phone call
£15 Admin for the event
52 miles each way @ 52p/mile £54.08
Call out fee £105
Time charge from point of traveling to point of return home ,@£45/hr day £80hr night and weekend thus 4 hrs + 1hr on farm = 5hrs £225
Total if weekday £414.08

If I go it alone and have no service the callout jumps to £155 and Labour either £95/hr or £130/hr thus total if weekday £714.08 or £889.08 if weekend

Quite a contrast and the savings could go a long way towards the cost of swapping my box in for a blue one , I believe the grazing gates and buffer tanks can all stay in place and be run by the delaval , it's just the fear of the great unknown , but on the flip side the relief of being on holiday knowing my temporary relief guy has access to simple manual attach should he need it would be immense .

 

[yin ewe]

Chips the delaval contract sounds similar to what we are on with Lely here in NI. We pay a monthly service fee for 3 services/ year. Breakdowns are £105 callout and I'm not sure what the hourly rate is without looking up one of the bills, parts on top of that. We don't get charged for mileage and certainly never been charged for advice over the phone. On a fair few occasions the engineer has met me with the parts (only have to pay for the parts) and I have done the work myself which helps to save on the labour side of things. I thought all Lely centres had the same charges for breakdowns and services?

 

[DocPhil001]

Or maybe go to something less machanical and reliant on one company.

With family showing interest i wouldn’t rule out going back too a parlour at all. I see loads of robots going in around here due to labour shortages, but personally I think they’ll all be very disappointed.

Fullwood are shutting there south west depot. They’ve been fumbling around desperately trying to get someone else to take it on. At this moment in time I wouldn’t have a clue who to contact in a emergency. The number of Fullwood robots working in Devon/Cornwall has fallen drastically with three multiple box setups having been switched off. I personally only know of 2 other Fullwood robot farms left down here.

Having my old robot for spares has been a godsend and probably the only way keeping the robots going here is possible. Also you’ll be surprised what you can get if you search the web. I bought a few new festo rams from America for half the price of a seal kit from Fullwood.

4 here pulled out ready to put a parlour in. BUT I am not going to run using robots down as I didn't have the best of them to work with.

 

[Chips]

Just had a very productive chat with Our head engineer again at Lely and it appears I was told wrong with regards to the hourly rate for traveling and mileage charge as this was the old system and the new system is just a straight forward callout charge , which makes a massive difference , it makes all the difference , I didn't sleep well at all last night stressing about where to go with this to remain profitable , but now at £105 to get them on farm and then £45/hr once there I am more than happy to go onto service only , at least that way I can have a slight saving on my current monthly invoice to go towards paying for parts and I don't have to swallow the 83% hike in master contract which I guess will become obsolete in time as it is with delaval from what I can gather . The cost of callouts and labour on farm now seem to be bang inline with the blue ones with the added benefit I know this robot is very reliable and I know it inside out and so should be able to avoid call outs as much as possible .
Phew, all I need to sort our now is which collars to go for and can I get a grant ?

 

[pappuller]

Just had a very productive chat with Our head engineer again at Lely and it appears I was told wrong with regards to the hourly rate for traveling and mileage charge as this was the old system and the new system is just a straight forward callout charge , which makes a massive difference , it makes all the difference , I didn't sleep well at all last night stressing about where to go with this to remain profitable , but now at £105 to get them on farm and then £45/hr once there I am more than happy to go onto service only , at least that way I can have a slight saving on my current monthly invoice to go towards paying for parts and I don't have to swallow the 83% hike in master contract which I guess will become obsolete in time as it is with delaval from what I can gather . The cost of callouts and labour on farm now seem to be bang inline with the blue ones with the added benefit I know this robot is very reliable and I know it inside out and so should be able to avoid call outs as much as possible .
Phew, all I need to sort our now is which collars to go for and can I get a grant ?

Glad youve cleared that up, the new boss at yours and my centre seems to be a decent guy from my experience and we have been on the basic contract for 2 yrs now and it doesn't work out too silly.

 

[wasted years]

4 here pulled out ready to put a parlour in. BUT I am not going to run using robots down as I didn't have the best of them to work with.View attachment 684308

Have you sold those machines?
Are the ones with the Lely Arm?

 

[mawleymoos]

Out of curiosity, where are the fullwoods for sale on Sat?
I'm considering the merits of a s/h robot at the moment, thanks chips for your honesty, it seems to be a bit of racket with Lely and short sited of them. Delaval and fullwood bots seem more friendly to farmer servicing? If anyone would like to put me right on that please do ;-)

https://hallsgb.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Brockhurst-Farm-FINAL.pdf

 

[happycows]

It’ll be very interesting too see what they make and put a true market value on them.

Realistically probably be a not sold.

 

[happycows]

@wasted years are you looking for anything in particular??? I’ve got most things here off a Merlin arm (Lely)

 

[wasted years]

@wasted years are you looking for anything in particular??? I’ve got most things here off a Merlin arm (Lely)

No though I was thinking about starting to buy some A2's to expand/have as spares.
I have meant for ages to take a closer look at the Fullwood that shares the A2 arm and compare parts prices etc but there is never time.

 

[DocPhil001]

Have you sold those machines?
Are the ones with the Lely Arm?

They have the Lely arm. No they haven't been sold yet. Pm me if you interested.

 

[arf]

There is apparently a new VMS out in early July !
VMS have always only ever had changes with soft wear but this new machine has physical changes .
One of the major changes will be speed of attachment .
It’s been described to me as a game changer !

Declaration of interest - I work for a DeLaval dealer !

 

[No1 Yorkshire Farmer]

I hear it's going to be on display at the Yorkshire Show this year

 

[arf]

When is the Yorkshire show ?

 

[Spear]

There is apparently a new VMS out in early July !
VMS have always only ever had changes with soft wear but this new machine has physical changes .
One of the major changes will be speed of attachment .
It’s been described to me as a game changer !

Declaration of interest - I work for a DeLaval dealer !

I guess you’re talking about the new 3D camera that sees a true picture of the teats.
Shame it’s not going to be available as retro fit

 

[No1 Yorkshire Farmer]

When is the Yorkshire show ?

Show is 11th to 13th july

We are hosting drinks at the Theakston bar from 4pm Tuesday /Wednesday - all robot users and Followers of this thread are most welcome to come for a drink.

With the Lely A5 and new Delaval VMS, plus Fullwood and GEA attending, it will be a good show for people interested in robots and chance to catch up with others for a drink at Theakston after:

https://www.facebook.com/events/329616034236873/?ti=cl

http://tim-gibson.com/gys-pre-registration-form/

 

[surprisefarmer]

I guess you’re talking about the new 3D camera that sees a true picture of the teats.
Shame it’s not going to be available as retro fit

Is that a 100% def that the 3d camera will not be available as a retro fit down the line, I was told a quite simple 2do not know"?

Not attacking what you are saying by the way, just genuinely interested.

 

[Spear]

New camera and new arm, and software. I’ve been told existing Vms don’t have the processing power to operate

 

[Chips]

Seeing as I have 3 months master contract left I figure I better learn as mainly repairs that I can while I still have the safety net of the contract as back up .
Today was my first pura repair