Farm buildings: A closer look at a state-of-the-art robotic dairy unit

TO help farmers achieve better and more consistent welfare and profitability, the university, Muller, Kingshay and Ice Robotics have embarked on a project called Dairy Animal Sensor Integrated Engineering.

Prof Rutter says: “The project will explore integration with existing farm systems and equipment such as milk meters and feed dispensers, maximising the systems farmers already have.

“This will allow farmers to take swift action to address health conditions such as fertility problems, lameness and mastitis before the situation becomes more serious and costlier.”

Research into behavioural profiles for other diseases and conditions is also being undertaken.

Mastitis and ketosis are two of the biggest problems dairy farmers face, with treatment both costly and time consuming.

The research aims to pick up on any behaviour which deviates from the individual animal’s norm.

This is a new way of looking at animal behaviour, which is usually based on deviations from the group’s average, and not on a per cow basis.

It is thought that there are signatures that become apparent in each animal’s behaviour, such as restlessness, sedation and changes in gait which could indicate a particular condition, before it is showing clinical signs.

It is hoped that all the software within the building will communicate with each other, helping to get quicker diagnostics.

Test

For example, with mastitis, if the IceQube detected a change in the animal’s behaviour, that it knew had the mastitis infection signature, it would instruct the robotic parlour to carry out a milk test for high cell counts, and the cow segregated for treatment if it were the case.

If ketosis were an issue, extra feed or a more energy dense feed could be administered at the parlour.

POTTERING about the shed is a DeLaval RS450S robotic scraper.

The scraper has a pre-planned route, with location tags to let the machine know where it is.

It will typically work for 20 hours per day, with the rest of the time spent charging and refilling the onboard water system.

Apart from occasionally getting stuck, Prof Rutter says the machine has been reliable.

It is the first scraper used in the shed, but the design of the alleys and cubicles was done to facilitate the use of robots.

Transponders

In the future, Prof Rutter says infra-red technology could be used to identify the hot spots where dung has been freshly dropped, reducing the time spent travelling where no manure is.

Similar in principal is the unit’s Joz Moov-Pro feed pusher, which too uses transponders in the floor and pre-planned routes, as well as 3D mapping to navigate the feed passages. Increased feed intake by the whole herd, but particularly lower ranking cows, and consequently high milk yields is the biggest advantage of robotic feed pushing.

The ability to apply liquid concentrates such as molasses to further enhance intake could be an option in the future.

THERE are hundreds of pedometer and accelerometer ankle sensors on the market, but Ice Robotics’ IceQube was chosen to be used in the unit.

Now in its third generation, the sensor records activity including standing and lying, as well as oestrus detection.

One of the reasons the IceQube was chosen is because the company is exploring algorithms and sensors which detect a change in a cow’s gait, before it becomes apparent to the stockman, catching lameness in its very early stages.

So far, the team thinks it may have found a pattern which identifies cows positive for Johne’s disease.

Prof Rutter explains that data has initially shown JD5 cows spending up to two hours more standing, compared to JD0 cows.

The hypothesis here is that the Johne’s-positive cows are spending more time eating.

Appetite

This would coincide with peak lactation, with the cow’s digestion prioritising milk production over maintenance, possibly explaining Johne’s-positive cows becoming emaciated, even though their appetite is normal.