Friday, March 29, 2024

Dairy Design: Plenty of options for recording milk

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The range of in-line milk analysers and claims made by their suppliers is impressive. Milk yield, milking time, fat, protein, lactose and conductivity can be measured. The presence of blood or watery foremilk can be detected and cups removed. Data can be analysed as the cow is milked to detect sub-clinical levels of mastitis and metabolic diseases such as ketosis and acidosis before the cow shows clinical symptoms. Cows which exceed pre-set threshold levels can be automatically drafted or held on a rotary platform for examination. Some systems monitor wash temperature, flow and volume. Others indicate cluster kick-off, blocked air admission holes, ageing rubberware or excessive air admission at the liners because of cup slip. DairyNZ scientist Brian Dela Rue offers some sound advice to farmers investing in technology of this sort, saying data from in-line milk sensors doesn’t meet the high level of accuracy required for herd testing in New Zealand but in most cases is suitable to support onfarm herd management. For example, farmers might rank cows based on milk yield, or use changes in sensor values to indicate an unwell cow, or a response to a change in feed.
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These systems require a significant investment (costs are typically $1000-$3000/bail) so before investing in any technology, farmers should go through a check list of questions including:

  • How will I use this information in my decision-making?
  • How often do I genuinely need this information and how much better will decisions be if I used more frequent data, such as using daily milk yield and composition, compared with regular herd testing?
  • How well does this technology perform according to both independent testing and farmers who have experience using it?
  • Does this technology fit well with my current milking system and the skills of my team?
  • What operational changes will I need to make for this technology to be successful?
  • How will I measure any improvement if when I get a suitable return on my investment?

In looking at in-line milk monitoring systems, there are specific aspects to consider:

  • Does the milk yield sensor accuracy meet the ICAR (International Committee for Animal Recording) standard? ICAR-approved sensors can give you confidence in the accuracy of the data, provided there is regular calibration. This certification isn’t essential for daily operations but the accuracy of information supplied with the technology should otherwise be supported by suitable independent testing.
  • How well do in-line sensors perform at detecting cows suspected of ill health? Milk component analysis can be used to identify cows at risk of disease but health indicators are complex and sensor data can be affected by a range of factors that can potentially lead to a high number of false alerts. Improving disease detection is likely to require integration of multi-sensor and non-sensor data. Seek advice from vets and advisers who have experience with sensor data.

Data and alerts can be displayed in each bail, or on monitors in view of milkers.

 

For mastitis detection, DairyNZ has worked with technology providers to develop agreed protocols for testing systems onfarm so consistent and robust performance information can be made available to farmers.

  • Are alerts presented simply and can they be readily interpreted?
  • Is the system low-maintenance, needing little servicing and calibration?
  • Does the system allow for milk sampling if this is a requirement?
  • What prerequisite equipment like EID or electronic cluster removers are needed?

What’s available to New Zealand farmers? 

The six systems below are on the local market. Details and claims were provided by their suppliers. All can be fitted to rotary and herringbone dairies.

Afimilk In-Line Milk Lab

  • Measures – Yield, fat, protein, lactose, conductivity, milking time. Detects blood.
  • Compatible with – All pulsation systems, all electronic cluster removers.
  • Prerequisites – In-bail EID by NAIT tag or Afi pedometers.
  • Hardware – AfiMilk milk meters and AfiLab sensor units are fitted in the long milk tube for each cluster. A bail monitor is fitted into the rotary dummy bail or herringbone dropper for each bail.
  • How it works – Milk yield by weight, and milking time is measured in the milk meter. The compositional analysis is done by Infra Red laser in the AfiLab unit.
  • How to use it – No manual activation is needed. Coded alerts for ketosis and acidosis based on fat-protein ratios; milk conductivity and low yield are displayed on the bail monitor. These alerts can trigger automatic drafting, or retaining the cow in a rotary so she can be examined at a second rotation. Clusters are automatically removed if blood is detected.
  • Data management  Transfers data to the AfiMilk Herd Management software.
  • Comments  Afi claim savings of $130-$200/cow/year are achievable through early detection of metabolic diseases,  less treatment required, and milk yield increase.

Go to www.afimilk.com/products/milking-parlor-automation/integrated-milking-point-analysis-control

Tru-Test Dairy Automation

  • Measures – Conductivity, to indicate trends in a cow’s milk yield and risk of mastitis; wash temperature, flow and volume. Detects potential cup slip or ageing rubberware.
  • Compatible with – All makes of rotary and herringbone dairy.
  • Prerequisites – None.
  • Consists of – Sensor, mounting bracket, tubing to connect sensor to milk supply line, and power supply line for each sensor. In-bail identification includes EID reader, command unit, cellular modem, in-dairy display, audible buzzer, keypad and pullcord.
  • How it works – EID identifies each cow in-bail and matches it with yield and conductivity information from the bail’s sensor. This is referenced against the herd to show milk production trends and mastitis risk for preventative management. Sensors monitor and record wash temperature, flow, duration and volume.
  • How to use it – No manual intervention or reagent is required. In-dairy alerts or drafting cows can be actioned using the keypad or pullcord based on information shown on the display screen or MiHub reports. Sensors are automatically cleaned by the CIP system.
  • Compatibility – The Tru-Test Autodrafter, Walk Over Weighing and Feed Control Modules can easily be added.
  • Data management  All data is automatically transferred to the MiHub Dairy Herd Management cloud platform via a cellular modem.

Go to livestock.tru-test.com/en-nz/dairy-automation-herd-management-solutions

Waikato electronic milk meters

  • Measures – Milk yield, flow rate, milking duration, peak flow rate, time to peak milk flow.
  • Compatible with – Any pulsation system.
  • Prerequisites – Waikato Smart ECRs, in bail EID.
  • Hardware – Waikato Bail Marshall, for connectivity and comms between other Waikato smart devices like ECRs and SmartD-Tect mastitis detection. Electronic milk meter at each bail. Bail display consisting of an LCD screen and drafting buttons. A SmartLINK unit which transmits data to the herd management system.
  • How it works – Time monitored milk yield is measured by volume.
  • How to use it – Milk meters are activated, stopped and reset by the ECRs. Cows can be drafted with a Protrack system by pressing a button on the bail display. Bail displays show milking status and alerts like low milk yield, short milking, and with Waikato Smart D-Tect mastitis alerts.
  • Data management – Uploads data to external herd management software including LIC’s Protrack Vantage.

Go to www.waikatomilking.com/products/components/milk-metering/milk-meter/

LIC Automation Yieldsense

  • Measures – Milk yield, fat, protein, lactose, conductivity. Detects blood in milk and watery foremilk (signs of clinical mastitis). Monitors wash performance for each bail and alerts blocked air admission holes.
  • Prerequisites – In-bail rotary EID or at-bail herringbone ID. Manual ID assignment (To be launched soon).
  • Consists of – A Yieldsense unit is fitted into the long milk tube for each bail. Flow modifiers are fitted in high line herringbones to achieve constant milk flow for accurate milk yield measurement.
  • How it works – YieldSense uses full flow measuring technology to measure yield, fat, protein, lactose and conductivity of the milk in-line without taking a sample.
  • How to use it – YieldSense automatically detects milk flow and sends out the result at the end of each animal’s milking. The units also automatically detect wash water, self-clean during the wash, and monitor the plant wash performance.
  • Data management – Milk yield and milk solids are displayed live at the bail. Data can also be viewed in the Protrack Vantage Herd Management Software screen during milking, and in-depth reporting on a cow and herd level can be done through MINDA Pro.
  • Comments Wash problems are alerted by Protrack Vantage at the end of the wash cycle. Blocked air admission holes are alerted with the offending bail number identified.

Go to livestock.tru-test.com/en-nz/dairy/line-sensor

DeLaval Milk Meter MM27BC

  • Measures – Milk yield, conductivity. Detects blood, cluster kick-off, liner slip, blocked air admission on cluster.
  • Prerequisites – In-bail EID.
  • Hardware – The ICAR-approved MM27BC milk meter is fitted upstream of the milk line. A display screen for each bail is fitted in the rotary dummy bail or herringbone dropper area. A milk sampler can also be used in conjunction with the MM27BC.
  • How it works – Milk flow is detected by infrared light sensors.
  • How to use it – The display screen will show cow ID, milk yield, expected milk yield, milk flow rate; and alarms for low milk yield, high conductivity levels, high blood levels, cluster kick off, liner slip and blocked air admission. The display screen can also communicate with the DelPro Farm Manager herd management system so the system also retains a cow on the rotary when she has an abnormal milking, has a low-yield alarm, shuts off cluster vacuum for colostrum or treated cows, communicates with milker via the display screen and an interactive data display at cups-on area, and manages feeding cows during milking.
  • Data management – DelPro Farm Manager herd management system.

Go to delaval.co.nz/-/Product-Information1/Milking/Products/Milking-point/Milk-recording/DeLaval-milk-meter-MM27BC-/?sp=585

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