THE BATCH SYSTEM IN PRACTICE IS THE HARDEST THING I HAVE TO SELL

"While it points to the ground, I won't be leaving the pit "

You've now got an idea of our "batch" system

WHY?

Why do we persist in advocating a system that disrupts - if only for a few minutes - the milking process?

Clearly it is difficult to sell this idea. But equally clearly it is important.

The benefits are:-

• Saves labour  by filling Feeder every 2 - 3 days.
• Can do without a feed out cart.
• No moving parts to seize up or break off or get caught in!
• Very safe for anyone to use.
• Does not permanently tie up a tractor.
• Can use big square bales, especially big square bale silage.
• The feed pad is much shorter - less feeder to buy -
  Do you have a set of teat cups for every cow?
  Every feeding space feeds two cows or even 3 so the Pad is or 1/3 the length!
• Is much shorter so less concrete needed. (I suggest it is set up on gravel at fisrt)
• If it adds 6 - 10 minutes to the milking and saves 1-2 hours over the rest of the day feeding out in the paddock ... is that a real bad deal?
• Uses less hay to fill it, so weather/wastage is not a problem.
• Close to the dairy solves the effluent disposal issue.
• Close to dairy solves the change-over job.
• The feed Pad usually pulls cows out of the shed and away from the shed exit very effectively.

HOW?
Several aspects of the FAIR GO Feed Pad system contribute to keeping costs down.

• There really are less empties during milking than you think. Eg 5 batches (our usual suggestion) means only 3 empties during milking, (leaving 2 batches to empty after milking which are often the heifers and tail-enders and they can have extra time on the Feeder)
• Feed Pad close to the dairy makes the change-overs easier.
• Mechanised the gates: A simple rope for drafting cows to the left or right sides of the Feeder; a  similar rope pull or mechanically operated gate at the far end to let each batch out. Gates can be trigger opened/hand close or water hydraulically open / hydraulically closed. (Air or vacuum  operation is also possible). We can  supply a complete system to achieve this remotely.
• Train up Rex to help so that once you have opened the exit gate and indicated to Rex which batch need to exit, the milker can return to the shed before all cows have actually departed and can close the gate remotely later.

Incidently in case you work out that a feeding space per cow is the ideal way, just work out how you can fill the Feeder with whole rolls or big squares without a system to spread feed out (eg a feed out wagon) and still get through the silage in 3 days - I can not!

HERRINGBONE DAIRIES

Feed pad length is usually tied to the herring bone length rather than to the herd size as such
With most set ups, larger herringbones with two operators can manage the change over without extra milking time.
With one person operations we need to automate the gates and ensure a free flow of cows.
If it is too hard to use, you don't use it and all  the other benefits become academic.

CASE STUDY # 1
Katunga Farmer

• "Our 16 year old daughter can milk 240 cowsand feed  them on the pad, by herself - if necessary."
• Requires 5 batches = 3 empties during the milking.
• Adds minutes to the job.

CASE STUDY # 2
Another  Katunga farmer

• "It saves me half an hour each milking as cow flow is so much better into and out of the shed!"

ROTARY DAIRIES

Everything happens much quicker with a rotary platform, so there is usually less time for cows to eat. In addition most cows have access to the Feeder for a similar time, coming in one group having been accumulated in a lane, (whereas herringbones dairy rely to some extent on cows randomly having bonus amounts tonight if they get the minimum 20-25 minutes this morning.

• The dairy farmer is the one choosing the quality of hay offered to the cows daily. The feed can be as attractive or unattractive as needed, so cows will not be likely to hang around once their 20 minutes is up.
• Keep in mind the "who-gets-what" benefits which the FAIR GO Feeder offers, which the paddock feeding and "Willy Nilly" systems do not.

CASE STUDY #1

John, Pat & Tony Barker - Riana, Tasmania.

• They milk 440 cows on a 35 cow rotary (2 platforms per batch).
• The split herd usually involves 3 people at milking.
• The "drover" or "runner" collects the second mob and then perhaps releases the first batch from the Feed Pad once the lane is clear.
• With a 2-person operation Tony opens the gate on the other (full) side when he closes the gate after the batch have left the Feeder.
• Thus the gate is already open when it is time to push the cows out.
• Tony says it adds 10 minutes to the milking with 2 operators and  70 cows in 7 batches.

CASE STUDY #2

Richard Downes - Cobden

• Milks 400 cows in 4 batches on a 30 cow rotary(3 platforms per batch) (2 empties during milking).
• Two people can milk and clear the pad
  
• How do they do it?.
• Richard (cups off) catches up a bit;leaves the platform to empty the pad (dog assisted - gate already open).
• Meanwhile the Help catches up a bit:dives around the on/of cows  once cups need removing, removes as many as possible, skips back to put cups on and only stops  platform when cups need to be removed (if Richard is not back).

Result - platform stopped for a 1 minute period twice per milking for 400 cows.