GOLD MEDAL
Speedy Trough Suction Unit (Meier-Brakenberg), Germany
(Hall 16, Stand G04)
Optimal feed hygiene is indispensable for animal health and performance in pig farming. Here particular attention must also be paid to the feed troughs, for feed remains in the trough offer an excellent breeding ground for mould and bacteria.
In the past, the remains were generally manually removed from the trough with a bucket and shovel. This manual emptying of the trough is not only cumbersome and in some cases dangerous for the user; feed remains are frequently left in the corners, where they can quickly spoil.
With the Speedy trough cleaner, which is simply connected to the gun of a high-pressure cleaner, feed remains can be removed from troughs in an extremely short time. And it makes no difference whether the feed is wet or dry. The feed sucked out can be caught in a container or drained off into the manure. After emptying, the trough can be cleaned quickly with the washing lance by simply switching over to the cleaning nozzle.
This ensures optimum hygiene; the next ration of feed remains fresh longer and is taken up better.
SILVER MEDALS
RUPIOL Sunline (FANON d.o.o.), Croatia (Hall 20, Stand B29)
together with GFT - Gesellschaft für Tierernährung mbH (Hall 15 C22q)
Against the background of increasingly demanding consumer requirements for sustainable milk production, after forgoing the use of GMOs in feed, there is meanwhile a critical focus on the use of palm oil and/or the palm fat products manufactured from it.
In particular with regard to ration management in the energy and nutrient deficit for freshly lactating cows from high-performance herds, this reformulation presents milk producers with great challenges.
Here the feed supplement Rupiol Sunline can provide protein and energy in the small intestine in rumen-protected form and subsequently can serve as an alternative to the use of palm oil.
For this purpose, a rape expeller treated with a newly developed pressure-hydrothermal process is provided with high-quality rape oil and coated with a specially produced high-melting sunflower oil that ensures rumen protection.
As a result, the process combines nutritional advantages, such as highly digestible nutrients, supply with sulphated amino acids and an outstanding fat quality, with environmental aspects like a reduction of the use of palm fat and GMO soy. The product is already being used and tested on dairy farms.
HeatBox Heat Accumulator (Albert Kerbl), Germany
(Hall 11, Stand D43)
Two-component adhesives are often used to fasten hoof blocks in hoof care. Their curing speed is, however, highly dependent on the ambient temperature which, in particular at low temperatures in winter, leads to poorer adhesive bonding qualities with a simultaneous increase in the treatment and working times.
In the Heatbox from Kerbl, which consists of two chambers, the adhesives can now be optimally tempered to a constant 20 °C. The first chamber can hold a complete dosing gun with an adhesive cartridge, while the second chamber holds a replacement cartridge at working temperature.
Through the use of the Heatbox, the adhesive cures more quickly. This considerably shortens the treatment duration and improves the durability of the blocks on the hoof through optimised adhesive bonding quality. The simple but clever idea therefore simplifies hoof block bonding and reduces the stress for the cow through shorter treatment times.
Sentinel Robot (INATECO), France
(Hall 17, Stand C18d)
The basis for sustainable, healthy, animal friendly husbandry is farm management optimised in all areas. For example, in order to continually and automatically monitor the barn climate and, if necessary, to control ventilation or heating, a broad range of sensors are used, e.g. for temperature, humidity and the CO2 and NH3 content of poultry house. However, the sensors are usually stationary and therefore only detect a local area in poultry houses.
With the Sentinel Robot, Inateco now offers a mobile litter spreading system for poultry houses installed on the ceiling. With visual and thermal sensors, it is able for the first time to specifically spread litter in areas with damp manure.
Due to its low net weight, the Sentinel Robot litter spreading system can usually be installed under existing ceilings without expensive reinforcements. It acts freely within an area of 200 m and is pneumatically supplied with litter materials via a supply hose; these can be shredded material, pellets, chips or meal.
In addition to the visual and thermal sensors important for navigation, additional sensors, e.g. for measuring the CO2 or NH3 content in the poultry house air or even a scale, can be installed on the litter unit. As a result, information is acquired in all areas of the poultry house, making it possible to give farmers even more specific warnings and recommendations for the climate management of their farm and poultry houses.
The Sentinel Robot litter spreading system from Inateco is an innovative further development that enable the reduction of emissions in poultry houses, whereby the required amount of litter is also reduced, as litter is specifically spread only in areas with damp manure. Its further use as a mobile platform for additional measuring sensors enables more specific monitoring of all poultry house areas.
Comfort Safety Self-Locking Headlocks (Ing. Bräuer Stalltechnik), Austria
(Hall 17, Stand D35a)
Ordinary safety self-locking headlocks frequently offer an insufficient safety outlet in the lower area of the feed fence. When attempting to also reach the last remains of the feed provided or when animals have fallen or are unable to get up, they are constricted in the neck area. The noises of moving swinging bars are an additional stress factor.
With the comfort safety self-locking headlock from Bräuer, the horizontal position of the swinging bar mounting and the swinging unit is shifted, resulting in a considerably larger safety outlet over the entire height and an animal-friendly opening width of 36 cm. In addition to unhindered access, this also enables a considerably greater freedom of movement for the cow during feeding and easier freeing of stuck cows by the farmer. In the catch position, a neck width of 21 cm is reached by shifting the swinging bar, enabling safe fixation for animal inspection, treatments and insemination.
Autolift (Spinder Dairy Housing Concepts), The Netherlands
(Hall 12, Stand B18)
Many processes on diary farms have already been automated in recent years – with the exception of guided cow traffic. With AutoLift, the Dutch supplier of barn equipment SPINDER B.V. presents a complex, intelligent gate control system that simplifies these tasks.
All major gates along the daily walking paths of the animals to and from the milking parlour are or will be equipped with a drive unit networked for control; sensors detect the current opening position of the gates and manage the switching states on an Internet-capable server. With a related app the employees responsible for cow traffic can survey all opening states of the gates on their smart phones in real time. Then they can control certain gates immediately and individually, or can temporarily change the administration of several gates for certain livestock groups or alter the passage height, e.g. for tractors, without having to be near the gate.
The AutoLift gate control system is individually adapted to the respective dairy farm. All gates can also be directly operated via the drive unit or manually in the case of an accident. With the Internet-based AutoLift gate control system, Spinder B.V. supports the automation of activities that tie up working time, such as the driving of cows to and from the milking parlour on dairy cattle farms.
Feed Fence Signalling (Spinder Dairy Housing Concepts), the Netherlands
(Hall 12, Stand B18)
Self-locking headlock grids are an opportune aid for many diary cattle farmers for fixing animals in place for a limited time for the purpose of health monitoring, treatments in the course of breeding hygiene and veterinary medicine in livestock groups. This work is carried out by external specialists with increasing frequency, while the barn personnel is busy with other routine tasks.
For example, the feed fence can be closed longer than necessary and the animal remains fixed in place.
With the Feed Fence Signalling, SPINDER B.V. has put a clever solution for electronic monitoring of the closing mechanism of feed fences on the market.
If the locking lever of the self-locking headlock fences is set to the "fixing" position by the herd manager, a network-capable sensor registers this action and transmits this switching state to an Internet-capable server via a close-range wireless network. This server monitors the passing time of the unchanged locking state on the feed fences and alerts the barn personnel according to individually administrable, cascaded levels by switching on a warning lamp, an acoustic signal and with an instant message on the heard manager's smart phone.
Via a special app, heard managers can view the status messages of the feed fence in real time and, if necessary, temporarily administrate the monitoring and alerting mode or give their employees instructions on releasing the feed fence fixation.
With Feed Fence Signalling, Spinder offers the farmer an intelligent means of assistance based on the IoT standard for process monitoring.
NANOConcept (Wasserbauer Fütterungssysteme), Austria
(Hall 12, Stand D22)
In recent years automation in feeding technology has considerably increased.
However, the simplifications in the workflow have also given rise to new problems, which primarily concern silo removal, delivery of additional feed for stationary mixers and feed hygiene, especially with regard to remaining quantities in the system.
With the "NANO" feeding concept, Wasserbauer has developed an autonomous feeding system for cattle. It consists of the Shuttle Eco manoeuvrable, automatically moving feeding robot and the new, unique lift for fully automatic feed removal in the bunker silo. The feeding robot moves freely and is routed via magnets in the ground. As a result, it can easily be used in several barns and can move to several silos. In the silo the Shuttle Eco feeding robot is filled with the direct, fully automatic lift, an intelligent system comprising a milling and a blower unit.
With the combination of the "Shuttle Eco" autonomously moving feeding robot and the "Lift" fully automatic silo removal system, Wasserbauer has achieved a new level of feeding automation.
smaXtec 360 (smaXtec animal care), Austria
(Hall 11, Stand C20)
smaXtec 360 is a major further development of the rumen bolus already commended in 2010 with a wireless pH and temperature probe from smaXtec animal care GmbH of Graz, Austria.
With smaXtec 360 the company banks on the exclusive use of innovative and robust microprocessors with acceleration and temperature sensors for almost life-long progress monitoring of physiologic behavioural patterns of feed and water consumption, of rumination, rumen motility, movement activity as well as the heart rate of the carrier animal. Via an energy-saving short-range wireless network, the data are automatically read out, processed cloud-based and provided to farmers on their Internet-capable assistance systems for health monitoring and herd management. The intelligently combined parameter evaluation of the acceleration sensor enables fast recognition of physiologic malfunctions of the carrier animal even before the manifestation of illnesses.
As a result, it is possible to dispense with direct measurement of the pH.
Due to the completely revised operating principle, the smaXtec 360-Bolus positioned in the reticulum has a service life of at least 3 years and can therefore help farmers to manage their cows through their lactations more quickly and in better health.
All-In-One Colostrum Feeder (Martin Förster), Germany
(Hall 12, Stand C31a)
A fast supply of colostrum (first milk) following birth may be the most important step in the life of a cow, as the calves are provided with antibodies against most illnesses typical in barns via the first milk. In practice a number of temporary measures exist for the often tedious tempering of previously refrigerated or frozen colostrum. Nevertheless, more than a few calves refuse to suckle in the critical first hour, as the first milk has already cooled down too greatly during feeding.
The All-In-One Colostrum Feeder from Martin Förster GmbH now combines major innovative developments for the initial provision of newborn calves with first milk.
The innovative basic unit consisting of a special hexagonal container is equipped with a lid with a handle and a teat for drinking. The special innovation is an additional container lid with an integrated stainless-steel tube which is immersed in the container. This device enables fresh first milk to be brought up to the optimal drinking temperature quickly but gently by flushing with tempered water. And pasteurising of the first milk and subsequent cooling of the drinker to the desired temperature is possible according to preference with this device. A central innovative special feature of the All-In-One Colostrum Feeder is the possibility of freezing the container equipped with the described stainless-steel spiral tube in a space-saving manner for colostrum storage in order to gently and simply thaw the drinker as required.
The system from Martin Förster GmbH solves various problems which occur during first milk preparation for calves in a simple, but above all for the colostrum an extremely gentle manner.
Clean 9T (Witte Lastrup), Germany
(Hall 16, Stand G22)
Risers are installed in many pipe chain systems. These run from the silo tank into the barn and overcome a height difference of between 2 and 3 m in the process. If elbows are installed in these risers, they tend to continually fill up with feed. This is especially the case at the transition from the vertical to the horizontal position and cannot be prevented. In the long term, the feed sticks at these points, the wheels block and really slow down the conveyor chain or even the conveyor cable, which in turn leads to damage to and failures of the conveyor system.
With the Bypass Clean 9T an innovative further development or a supplement to elbows on pipe chain systems is now available. In the Bypass Clean 9 T the falling feed can fall back into the feed stream and does not collect in the elbow.
As a result, automatic cleaning of the elbows is achieved, which increases the operational reliability of the conveyor system by up to 20 %. In addition, this prevents the remaining feed in the corner from becoming mouldy, contributing to improved animal health.
The corner bypass can be installed at a later time on most elbows currently on the market.
Taintstop (Dumoulin), Belgium
(Halle 22, Stand C13)
In the deliberations on the future of piglet castration or the avoidance of boar taint, in addition to surgical operations under anaesthesia and immuno-castration, a possible influencing of boar taint with nutritional measures has been pushed into the background.
By feeding certain carbohydrates, in particular inulin or starch with a low small intestine digestion, boar taint can be reduced by influencing bacterial digestibility in the large intestine and the related reduced production of skatole and other indole compounds. This approach has been taken up by Dumoulin and an innovative feeding concept has been developed based on it, which has already been tested in several practice-oriented feeding tests. The use of Taintstop leads to a considerable reduction of the skatole contents, and therefore to much lower odour impairment of meat.
The feeding-based approach offers a practical supplement to existing alternatives for surgical piglet castration.
DR 1500 Drive Wheel (Big Dutchman), Germany
(Hall 7, Stand B21)
Typical dry feeding systems jerk especially when starting up and cause considerable inherent noise with the metal components.
For the first time, the new DR 1500 Drive Wheel from Big Dutchman is not made of metal, but instead of a high-quality, highly stable and yet elastic plastic.
The elasticity of the material leads to load-dependent traction of the chain on the drive wheel. As a result, the dry feeding system is only pulled over two teeth of the drive wheel when starting up. It therefore runs virtually jerk-free, which is gentle on chains and drive wheels and decreases wear. With long transport distances or when transporting large quantities of feed, the elastic teeth tilt slightly toward the rear, the chain fits more closely on the drive wheel and the power transmission is distributed among a total of up to seven additional teeth. Thanks to easier start-up and the improved power transmission, even longer transport distances are possible – according to the manufacturer up to 500 m long conveyor chains can be pulled. Especially in view of longer transport distances, the new drive technology is therefore pioneering, especially as it is then also possible to dispense with individual transfer stations from conveyor system to conveyor system.
Pig T (Big Dutchman), Germany
(Hall 7, Stand B21)
The reduction of emissions in animal husbandry is a central task of future barn systems. A major aspect here is the direct separation of urine and faeces.
The innovative Pig T pig toilet from Big Dutchman takes up this approach as part of a tarpaulin-secured bay. It enables urine and faeces to be separated directly after being excreted, and in particular clearly reduces the ammonia emissions.
The Pig T pig toilet consists of a conveyor belt made of plastic elements. Urine and other liquids flow through openings between the individual plastic elements into a catch trough within the supporting structure and are routed there into a separate storage tank.
The faeces, litter or other remains of organic manipulable materials are transported out of the bay by the conveyor belt and from there can be removed from the barn with a faeces collection duct or additional conveyor belts. In the process, the pigs in the bay can continue to stand on the conveyor belt; no biting or kicking damage results on the flat plastic surface. Thanks to a stripper, no faecal residues remain on the conveyor belt; the openings are repeatedly broken open and clogging avoided by the deflection unit.
On the PigT pig toilet the pigs are therefore repeatedly provided with a clean surface and the ammonia emissions are considerably reduced. With the level plastic surface, the bay can be completely used by the pigs; in it litter or organic manipulable material can be used for the rooting and exploratory behaviour of the animals.
EZ Clean Corner for Chain Feeding Systems (Hog Slat), Germany
(Hall 16, Stand A11)
Especially the corners of dry feeding systems in risers from the silo into the barn tend to constantly fill up. Due to temperature differences, condensation water forms which can lead to feed sticking together in the corners. When corners used in chain feeding systems up until now are checked and cleaned, this is usually carried out by complicated unscrewing and cleaning of the corners from above. This work is additionally hampered in corners which are very difficult to reach.
The EZ Clean Corner from Hog Slag is a corner for chain feeding systems with a diameter of 60 mm and is equipped with a transparent cleaning door. This enables both quick visual inspection from the outside and opening downward to easily remove accumulated dirt or blockages.
The EZ Clean Corner consists of reinforced polymer plastic; the transparent cleaning door is manufactured of polycarbonate. It is securely fixed in place and by three clamp fasteners and securely sealed off against the penetration of moisture via a tongue and groove system with a special integrated seal.
The corner is completed with a self-cleaning cast wheel. To avoid occupational accidents, an induction loop ensures that the feeding systems are automatically switched off when the transparent door is opened.
According to the manufacturer, already existing chain feeding systems can be retrofitted with the EZ Clean Corner. The EZ Clean Corner from Hog Slat therefore represents an innovative further development for improving feed hygiene in chain feeding systems.
CD-san® Concept (Aumann Hygienetechnik), Germany
(Halle 17, Stand A18a)
The optimum supply with hygienically perfect drinking water is a major prerequisite for health maintenance and performance of poultry. On the one hand, suitable materials for line technology and a uniform pressure distribution in the poultry house are required for optimum supply of the animals. On the other hand, effective possibilities for keeping the drinking system clean must be provided.
The CD-san® Concept from Aumann Hygienetechnik enables these requirements to be met. Here it is especially important that no biofilms result and that biofilms which already exist are immediately and reliably removed again. Ámong other things, this is made possible by the Harsonic® ultrasound system.
The CD-san® Concept enables thorough cleaning and disinfection - both when empty and when filled. In the empty phase, the ultrasound system also amplifies the effect of the disinfectant. The CD-san® Concept therefore ensures optimum supply of the animals with hygienically perfect drinking water.
SELEGGT Acus (SELEGGT), Germany
(Hall 17, Stand D45)
The killing of male chicks of the laying genotype when hatching is a method that is to be replaced by 2019/2020 with the in ovo sex determination method.
Two concepts have been developed for this purpose:
- hormone analysis on the 8th/9th incubation day and
- spectroscopic measurement by means of Raman spectroscopy) on the 4th incubation day.
With both methods, the egg shell must be penetrated on the flat pole of the egg for testing. With the hormone analysis, only a small hole is required via which a sample, the allantoin, is drawn out of the embryonic bladder with a cannula. On the other hand, with spectroscopic measurement an opening of approx. 12 mm must be produced.
For automated sampling or for the creation of the access point, the egg must be exactly positioned. SELEGGT Acus was developed for automatic sampling for hormone analysis and enables the correct positioning of the eggs. Then sampling of the allantoin fluid is taken and transferred to the measuring device automatically. The hourly performance currently realised is approximately 3,500 eggs.
SELEGGT Acus creates the condition for implementation of in ovo sex determination by means of hormone analysis in practice.
Remark of the Innovation Commission:
It should also be possible to apply the process to Raman spectroscopy after making a few technical adjustments.
Urban Vital Control with Fever Measurement 4.0 (Urban), Germany
(Hall 13, Stand B02)
Both for animal welfare and for production-related and economic reasons, it is necessary to keep health impairments of livestock to an absolute minimum. Checking treatment and healing may also include checking the body temperature of afflicted animals. Up until now, the recording of the temperature curve and the general condition of the animals has – despite the diverse sensor technology used in animal husbandry in the past – often been carried out with simple thermometers and manual recordings. Especially in larger populations with several employees, this method can reach its limits outside the herd management programmes.
The Urban Vital Control digital fever thermometer with an integrated RFID reader enables rectal detection and storage of the body temperature of individual animals, the production of temperature curves and their forwarding to third-party systems. The measuring system provides a documentation and management system for individual animal welfare and animal health, including the generation of stock-related alarm and monitoring lists.
The fever thermometer can be passed on like a baton when changing personnel. Data transfer can be carried out both wirelessly and via a USB interface. Data exchange with standardized herd management programs is possible.
MS Corundum (Schippers), Germany
(Hall 11, Stand B20)
The hoof carries the milk! Disturbances and/or illnesses in hoof health involve long-term problems in animal welfare and ultimately in the productivity of the dairy cow. The earlier emerging hoof problems are recognized, the easier it is possible to treat the hoof at the right point in time.
With the MS Corundum, Schippers GmbH has created an innovative system for the preventative monitoring and simultaneous analysis of the hoof model.
Via the driving-out area off the milking parlour, the milk cow reaches a selection gate with animal identification. Animals which were milked shortly before are separated via the selection door and routed to the MS Hoof Scan. While the cow is standing in a layer of water, the hoofs are examined from below in the Hoof Scan with ultrasound, and at the same time the weight of the cow is detected via an integrated weighing system. An automatic analysis system evaluates acquired information and detects deviations.
After the next visit to the milking parlour, conspicuous dairy cows are routed via an additional separation into a room in which they can be treated in a hoof care box. For this problem-oriented treatment, hoof care specialists are provided with the analysed data, the scanner photos and the weight of each individual animal on their tablet or mobile phone.
With this innovative system, herd managers are able for the first time to automatically detect preventative changes to the hoof. This results in a number of advantages in practice. With the integrated software, deviations from the hoof model are recognised and at an early stage, therefore improving animal welfare. In conjunction with the management system, this results in less acute treatments of limping cows, a reduced workload, a higher milk output of the cows and ultimately lower veterinary and/or treatment costs.
CBS System (dsp-Agrosoft), Germany
(Hall 26, C15)
Up to 50 % of the animals of a dairy herd can have problems with their hoofs or extremities; locomotor disturbances are also the second most important factor among the causes of loss. Recognising the onset of lameness requires a trained and gifted eye of the livestock owner. Regular monitoring of livestock takes a great deal of time, is liable to a subjective influence and means stress for the animals in some cases if they must be fixed in place in the treatment stand for more exact follow-up checks.
The automatic 3D image analysis system from dsp-Agrosoft GmbH is used for the objective, contactless measurement of moving dairy cows, and therefore avoids unnecessary stress situations caused by fixation or other measures.
The body condition (cow condition score) and the gait pattern (cow movement score) are recorded after each milking process. Especially in larger herds, this enables abnormalities to be detected and measures (for example hoof care) to be introduced quickly. Networking with the herd management program (herd program and other assistance systems) is possible.
Thanks to the early detection of lameness, overall animal welfare in the herd is increased and dairy cattle farmers are supported in their treatment decisions with a standardised, objective, regular inspection of the animals.
Smart Thermometer (Förster-Technik), Germany
(Hall 13, Stand E11)
When diagnosing illnesses and checking the success of treatment, measurement of the body temperature is an important part already established for a very long time now with a very high, objective significance. For cattle the body temperature measurement is usually carried out rectally using ordinary fever thermometers. The measured data are usually documented manually in writing and only kept for the period of treatment. A transfer to long-term data keeping, like the herd management system, generally does not take place. Therefore, the data are only rarely available so that later analyses are also possible in combination with other vital parameters.
The Smart Thermometer developed by Förster electronically records the rectally measured body temperature of calves and cattle. The data can be passed on to the Förster Technical Calf Cloud via a connection to the SmartHealth app. With the app additional health parameters, such as the ear position, nasal discharge, eye condition and a faeces evaluation, can be acquired. The Calf Cloud enables integration in the Förster Smart Calf System.
The temperature and the evaluation results can be made accessible to the veterinarian or the farm consultant online via the Calf Cloud.
The acquisition, documentation and analysis of the body temperature and health parameters enable early recognition and intervention in the case of emerging illnesses, if necessary also under inclusion of the veterinarian via remote data access. This reduces the overall necessity of antibiotic treatments and decreases the illness-related negative effects on the development of the animals.
The overall herd health increases and the economic burdens on production caused by illnesses drop off.
Nedap CowControl™ - Augmented Reality und Reproduction Management
(Nedap Livestock Management) The Netherlands
(Halle 13, Stand C56)
While data acquisition for individual animals via sensors and digital measuring tools has long since become a part of everyday life in many dairy cattle barns, the availability of these data for daily work in the barn is often still in its infancy. Farmers therefore often help themselves with printouts; these tables are regularly confusing or difficult to read.
With CowControl, Nedap makes augmented reality available in the barn for the first time. Based on an app, the user is provided with herd information directly in the barn.
The new technology combines the real world of farmers with digital information such that their position and line of sight are detected and integrated in animal-related data on fertility, health or the location of certain animals in the camera image.
As a result, herd management is simplified and binders with difficult-to-read tables are banned from the barn. The award-winning fertility management in the form of an imaging software module identifies cows with fertility problems in lactation at an early stage.
Sensor data, fertility treatment records and synchronisation records are completely integrated and allow automated actions based on this information. With the system is is possible to both improve work organisation and shorten the calving interval.
Nedap Smart Flow (Nedap Livestock Management), The Netherlands
(Hall 13, Stand C56)
A continuous milk quantity acquisition has been standard in dairy cattle farming for many years now. However, electronic milk quantity measuring systems had several design weaknesses up until now: On the one hand, the sensors reduced the cross-section of the milk line and, on the other hand, the electronic components and cable connections were prone to faults.
With the Smartflow, the Dutch manufacturer Nedap puts a further development in the area of milk measuring systems on the market that has been decisively improved in the points named.
The Smartflow electronic milk quantity measuring system is designed for a maximum flow rate on both the mechanical and the electronic level. There are neither constrictions nor interruptions in the device which could lead to a drop in vacuum during milking; the measuring principle still leads to these kinds of fluctuations. This in turn leads to an especially constant flow of milk under vacuum below the udder, and therefore to an especially gentle treatment of the milk. The cows are fully milked out more gently and better, the udder health and the milk quality increase with a dropping content of free fatty acids in the milk.
At the same time, the Smartflow electronic milk quantity measuring system is designed to be completely wireless, i.e. both with regard to data transfer and in view of the power supply. The data are transferred via a UHF radio connection, enabling an especially fast and simple data integration.
The Smartflow electronic milk quantity measuring systems is ICAR-certified and complies with the ICAR standards and guidelines for data acquisition, use in milking technology and measuring accuracy.
DeLaval Evanza™ Milking Cluster with DeLaval Evanza™ Cartridge (DeLaval), Sweden
(Hall 13, Stand D25)
The regular replacement of the teat rubber is tedious and requires an amount of time which should not be underestimated.
For this reason, the Swedish manufacturer of milking technology DeLaval is introducing the new milking equipment DeLaval Evanza™. The decisive further development of this milking equipment lies in the fact that the teat rubbers and the teat cups are combined in a cartridge system in it. Changing the system cartridges equipped with Top Flow technology and a short milk hose is especially easy and results – especially for larger dairy cattle operations – to remarkable time savings.
With the new DeLaval Evanza™ milking equipment and the DeLaval Evanza™ cartridges, the milk flow rate increased demonstrably by up to 9.3 %. At the same time, the preliminary set-up time decreases by up to 7 %. The teats are objectively treated more gently and better handling of the milking equipment was especially emphasised among milkers.
Furthermore, it is possible to reuse the cartridges in a circulation system; the new DeLaval Evanza™ cartridge is completely recyclable and reduces the amount of waste compared to conventional teat rubbers by more than half.
Dairymaster Mission Control (Dairymaster), Ireland
(Hall 13, Stand 23)
The shorter the milking time, the shorter dairy cows have to stand in the collection area prior to milking – a proven factor for reduction of lameness, and with it for greater animal welfare. On farms with a milking carrousel, the duration of milking is in turn dependent on the running speed of the carrousel. This is not easy to optimise, even for experienced milkers. This especially applies when a cow has to be treated during milking, which often makes it necessary to stop the carrousel.
For its "Dairymaster Mission Control", the Irish milking technology manufacturer puts its trust in a next-generation touchscreen system. The OptiCruise System is integrated in the Dairymaster Mission Control which, based on the milking history of each individual cow recognized, then it calculates the milk quantity to be expected and offsets it with the remaining milking time of the cows already being milked in the carrousel. By using artificial intelligence and corresponding mathematical models, the carrousel speed is optimised with self-learning.
During milking the Dairymaster Mission Control touch panel provides the operator with important performance indicators on the cow and herd level in real time. These include the attachment time for the milking equipment, carrousel downtimes, cow throughput, expected end of milking time, status of milk tank, remaining feed quantity and many others. Furthermore, the system informs the user on the cows' health status. In suspicious cases or with problematic cows, the system allows immediate action to be taken, such as calling in the veterinarian or separating the milk.
By optimising the carrousel running times, time lost previously can be caught up again and the overall productivity can be increased. The milker is also provided with the right information at the right time – including the performance indicators. Altogether this leads to the milkers being able to take more time to examine and treat problem cows. In addition, the power consumption is considerably reduced with an approximately 20 % shorter running time.
"MultiRob" Cleaning Robot (Peter Prinzing), Germany
(Hall 12, Stand 25)
together with Bayerische Landesanstalt für Landwirtschaft, Institut für Landtechnik und Tierhaltung (Hall 26 C30)
Despite more or less automated manure removal pushers, stable care is still often manual labour.
With the MultiRob, PETER PRINZING GmbH has now also subjected its automatically moving manure removal pusher for PriBot slatted floors to a considerable further development for autonomous stable care.
The MultiRob is equipped with a swing-out, rotating brush for cleaning the rear third of high stables and with a removal unit for mealy bedding. Two high-precision laser scanners independently create a stable map during commissioning and continuously locate the robot position and the route guidance with the self-detecting landmarks in the barn. The intelligent sensor technology detects short and long-range obstacles, and reacts with real-time route adjustment for collision avoidance.
All actions – execution of work, positioning and tracking, obstacle detection and drive-around – are recorded on-board in an Internet-capable server. This server also assumes the completely autonomous machine control and the human-machine communication by means of a short-range wireless network.
The MultiRob detects occupied stables or obstacles on the stable aisles and avoids these without loosing the driving route. Deviations from the specified work routes are recorded and individually dealt with during the next trip.
The MultiRob makes it possible to subsequently release the care of raised stalls and the cleaning of slatted floors in a broad range of different exercise pens for cattle from the need for human labour.
