Robotic milking

[Peter]

I have lots of alarms turned off that are pointless.
Found to cause of the alarm I mentioned earlier. It was to do with the bulk tank doing a wash and inter fearing with a main wash on the robot. So I've now changed the times the robot does it washes. Turn out the tanker driver was here 1 hour earlier this morning and that's why

Critical alarms that will stop milking cannot be turned off the software wont let you - air pressure, too many failed milkings etc. Set all your non critical alarms for daytime calling only. Then set your day-night alarm times. You don't need washing alarms at night. Cow too long in box can usually big fixed by setting call delay by ten minutes.

 

[Chips]

Why not as we've had every other chuffin' alarm on the list ......

Really ?, in 9 years I can honestly say I've never had the vast majority of alarms on the list

 

[Bald Rick]

Really ?, in 9 years I can honestly say I've never had the vast majority of alarms on the list

No, not really. Just not in a good place with the bots at the moment.
However there is always the slightly elevated heart pump when the robots ring as it is the unknown "delight" waiting for you. It is almost a relief to get the "failed milkings" alarm as it is easily sorted (usually).
New CRS 3 has much clearer voice messages but doesn't always cover what it is so you get "unknown alarm" calls too which is a bit of a heart stopper until the text comes through.

 

[Jd Everytime]

What involved in changing to crs3? Full box change(crs+) or software upgrade?

 

[Bald Rick]

What involved in changing to crs3? Full box change(crs+) or software upgrade?

Yes both as it has something called "Modealarm" on it and filter changes are supposedly easier to toggle. New robot farms will automatically get the new CRS. Note that there is no screen on the new CRS & no way of cancelling alarms other than through the computer or via WiFi although you have to be in range to do that
More stable with 4+ robots apparently

 

[Sid]

I was talking to a guy who has sold all his cows due to the worry and anxiety the Lely alarm were giving him.
He couldn't sleep at night would worry all day if he went out that he might miss an alarm and the system ould go into melt down again.

Knowing which alarms to respond to and which to set to silent is the key.
A robot on maximum capacity is going to need critical nighttime response .

 

[Chips]

I never really panic about the possibility of alarms anymore , I went off to Leeds last week and never even gave it a thought . It's always a risk but with one robot alarms are rare , the flip side being one break down stops the whole herd milking , surely when you have multiple robots on a given group most alarms are less urgent as you still have reduced capacity milking anyway

 

[Stuart1]

Must be have the new lely auto pump in your CU then?

Yeah the smart pump I think it's called

 

[Grassman247]

What’s the best sawdust machine for bedding up 300 cubicles in a robotic system? I’m guessing everyone beds up when the cows are fed?

 

[yin ewe]

Bed straight after feeding in the morning, then will do empty cubicles in the evening and again when out last thing at night. Never usually rise a cow unless the cubicle is really dirty. We use a traditional method called the bucket and hand system, but only have 70 cubicles to do, 300 would need a fair few bucketfuls.

 

[Scholsey]

Bed straight after feeding in the morning, then will do empty cubicles in the evening and again when out last thing at night. Never usually rise a cow unless the cubicle is really dirty. We use a traditional method called the bucket and hand system, but only have 70 cubicles to do, 300 would need a fair few bucketfuls.

https://www.wheel-barrows-direct.co.uk/product/200-litre-green-wheelbarrow/ do 220 cubicles with 2 wheelbarrow full, (5 bags) with a good shovel and a delaval plastic scraper in 30 mins at a normal pace.

tried a Qbed last week and really impressed with how clean it got the beds with the brush but 11k+ to save 10mins a day and it made more dust/noise and disruption to the cows. We do it when we feed but because we just feed silage there are probably 20% cows still lay down.

 

[pappuller]

https://www.wheel-barrows-direct.co.uk/product/200-litre-green-wheelbarrow/ do 220 cubicles with 2 wheelbarrow full, (5 bags) with a good shovel and a delaval plastic scraper in 30 mins at a normal pace.

tried a Qbed last week and really impressed with how clean it got the beds with the brush but 11k+ to save 10mins a day and it made more dust/noise and disruption to the cows. We do it when we feed but because we just feed silage there are probably 20% cows still lay down.

Ag maxi dispensers x2 here one for lime one for dust, as little disturbance as possible.

 

[Bald Rick]

What’s the best sawdust machine for bedding up 300 cubicles in a robotic system? I’m guessing everyone beds up when the cows are fed?

AG 150 on a skid steer. As mentioned, when the feed goes out. The majority will go & eat and those that don't, you get the bed the next day.
A sprinkle a day, keeps cell counts away

 

[Grassman247]

Has anyone got any figures on the running cost of lely robots, ie chemical usage, maintenance charges and how much electric and water they use? Just trying to do a budget, can be by PM if they don’t want to disclose on here, thanks in advance

 

[Scholsey]

What's everyone's freezing weather procedure with robots? Ours are quite open in the shed and bit concerned about -14 temps forecast for later, already -4.

 

[Sid]

What's everyone's freezing weather procedure with robots? Ours are quite open in the shed and bit concerned about -14 temps forecast for later, already -4.

Move to Devon

 

[pappuller]

What's everyone's freezing weather procedure with robots? Ours are quite open in the shed and bit concerned about -14 temps forecast for later, already -4.

Welome to our world. Space heater in each robot room set on a single frost stat on plug so if it dips below -5 on they come.

 

[No1 Yorkshire Farmer]

What's everyone's freezing weather procedure with robots? Ours are quite open in the shed and bit concerned about -14 temps forecast for later, already -4.

get some heaters in there and anti freeze on the ropes

 

[No1 Yorkshire Farmer]

Welome to our world. Space heater in each robot room set on a single frost stat on plug so if it dips below -5 on they come.

make sure space heater is not pointing at the plastic, a robot went up due to that once and completely burnt out!

 

[Grassman247]

https://www.flexelinternational.com/index.php?section_id=89

Always thought this looked a reasonable idea for the robot room built into the ceiling