Here’s a look at automatic calf feeding and a round-up of systems available in New Zealand. Prices, provided by suppliers, are indicative only and could vary from those quoted.
Why automatic calf feeding?
• To save on labour, by freeing up staff at a busy time, to avoid employing casual staff, or so more calves can be reared with minimal extra labour.
• To rear a more even line of better, quieter calves more quickly. These are the claims made by advocates including users, but might draw on comparisons with a manual system that was inefficient and problematic.
• Better means heavier and healthier, quieter because there is less bullying and speed drinking, and quicker means reaching weaning weights earlier. The key to this is milk is fed little and often and every calf has the chance to get their daily ration.
• To monitor consumption, drinking rate, and weight, with alerts about any problems detected, often before they are seen in a manual system.
• To provide a safer workplace, with minimal heavy lifting, hot water handling and vehicle use.
Why not?
Cost – a system for rearing 100 calves could cost between $27,000 and $41,000. There will be some maintenance costs too.
Breakdowns – machinery or power failure means a manual feeding system might need to be redeployed until the fault is found and fixed.
What’s on the market?
Five systems were found in researching this article. Here they are and the claims made by their suppliers.
Calf Smart:
The Calfsmart system is designed and manufactured in Palmerston North, and includes calf weighing at feeding.
Feeds: Up to three types of milk product are mixed at the feed stall, adding water and a liquid additive if needed. Because recipes are mixed at the stall, individual calves can be fed specific recipes. The combined feed is heated at the stall and supplied to the teat at 37C.
Supply: The onfarm calf milk vat is connected to the feeder by a whole milk delivery system. The CMR hopper is connected to the feeder. Multiple systems can be coupled.
Stalls per feeder: from one to 20 or more.
Maximum distance from feeder to station is 100m.
Calves per stall: Recommended up to 50.
Programmable parameters: Combination-volume per feed, number of feeds per day, feed ramping-weaning based on age or weight gain for individual calves.
Alerts: Animal alerts for missed feeds, slow drinking, poor weight gain. System alerts like low water pressure. System and animal data is displayed live to the cloud, allowing the customer remote connection 24-7 by computer and smart phone, and other devices.
Cleaning: Fully automatic with acid and alkaline. User settable to number of washes per week, and time of day.
Requirements: Mains pressure cold and hot water, drainage, and 230V AC single phase power.
Maintenance: Weight calibration of CMR mixer stations and calf weigh platforms.
Consumables are feed teats and pump tubes.
Cost for 100-calf system: (Two stations) from $41,000. Installation from $2000 depending on existing electrical infrastructure.
Extras: Meal feeders for 50 calves per stall. Complements the milk delivery system because the customer can make weaning decisions not only on calf age and weight, but also hard feed uptake.
See: www.calfsmart.co.nz
DeLaval CF150X:
Feeds: Whole milk, CMR, or a blend of both. Mixing is done with an agitator in a plastic tank.
Supply: Whole milk and CMR are added to a 100-litre tank.
Stalls per feeder: The standard milk-only system has two feeding stalls. More can be added and the processor will handle up to 200 calves.
Calves per stall: Up to 50 – two teats of 25 per side.
Programmable parameters: Litres per feed and feeds per day, increasing when young and decreasing to weaning; for individual calves. Milk temperature at the teat is adjustable to 37C +/- 0.5C.
Alerts: Reduced consumption, but will carry over 50% of unconsumed feed to next 24-hour cycle.
Cleaning: Manual cleaning, which takes about 10 minutes.
Requirements: Water, single-phase power, drainage, concrete pad.
Maintenance: Low-maintenance requirement that could include replacing milk tubing.
Cost for 100-calf system: (four teats; two stalls) About $27,000. Installation cost will depend on travel and existing shed facilities.
Extras: A combination meal-pellet-muesli and milk feeding system is available. It can be programmed to reduce milk rations as concentrate consumption increases.
Maximum calves per stall is 25 –single teat and single hopper. However, more stalls can be added because the processor will handle up to 100 calves with milk and concentrate feeding.
See: www.delaval.co.nz
Forster Technik:
These German-made systems are marketed in New Zealand as the DeLaval CF1000+, GEA Dairfeed, and Lely Calm. The following details may vary between the three NZ suppliers, so are a guideline only.
Feeds: Whole milk, CMR, or a blend of both in any ratio. Must be the same mix for all stalls being fed simultaneously. Concentrated CMR can be fed. CMR temperature at the teat is 37C +/- 0.5C and whole milk temperature is about 31C.
Supply: Whole milk is supplied from the farm’s calf milk vat. CMR is dumped into the system’s 30kg or 50kg hopper, and weighed and mixed on demand.
Stalls per feeder: From one to four. Recommended maximum distance from feeder to stall is 6.5m, although some are performing well at 12m.
Calves per stall: Up to 40, with some farms running 50 successfully. Teat withdrawal by slides means calves learn to occupy the station only to feed, so more calves can be fed per stall.
Programmable parameters: Litres per feed and feeds per day, automatically increasing when young and then decreasing to weaning; for individual calves. Typically peaking at five feeds of 1.6 litres.
Alerts: Reduced consumption, slow drinking, non-visiting the stall.
Cleaning: Automatic cleaning cycle three times a day. Weekly circulation clean.
Requirements: Cold water, single or three-phase power, drainage.
Maintenance: Weigh calibration by the user three times a year. Annual service, about $250 to $2500 depending on the service programme.
Cost for 100-calf system: Lely’s prices are $27,000 for a CMR-only system; $32,000 for a whole milk-only system, and $35,000 for a whole milk-CMR system.
Cost for 120-calf system: DeLaval (one unit with four stations, including teat sliders) about $37,500 plus installation costs depending on travel and existing facilities.
Extras: Calf half body scales (about $5000). Smartphone app – in July 2016, Lely introduced the Calm Control system, which connects to the feeder to display feeding history for each calf, and total milk powder consumption. This can be retrofitted to existing systems.
See: www.delaval.co.nzwww.lely.com/nz/the-barn/feeding/calm/www.gea-farmtechnologies.co.nz/
PPP Urban U40:
This German-made system is marketed in NZ by PPP Industries.
Feeds: Whole milk, CMR, or a blend of both in any ratio. Must be the same mix for all calves. Concentrated CMR can be fed. Automated mixing and heating to correct temperature.
Supply: Whole milk or colostrum from the farm’s calf milk silo. CMR is dumped in the Urban’s 35kg hopper. An extension hopper is optional.
Stalls per feeder: From one to four. Maximum distance from feeder to stall of 6m. Parallel feeding means that four calves feeding simultaneously will all get their allocated ration.
Calves per stall: Up to 30.
Programmable parameters: Litres per feed and feeds per day, increasing when young and decreasing to weaning; for individual calves. Ability for multiple feed programmes and calf groups.
Alerts: Reduced consumption, slow drinking.
Cleaning: Automatic alkaline and acid cleaning cycle twice a day. Weekly circulation clean.
Requirements: Cold water, single or three-phase power, drainage.
Maintenance: Weigh calibration by the user three times a year. Annual service, about $250.
Cost for 100-calf system: about $33,000 for four stalls, including installation.
Extras: Smart phone app, dosing unit for liquid or powder additives or medication.
See: www.pppindustries.co.nz/calf-feeders-for-calves-lambs-and-kids/
Holm and Laue:
This German system is marketed in NZ by Bell-Booth Group.
See: www.bell-booth.co.nz/product/automatic-calf-feeding-systems
All these systems identify the calves by their NAIT tags.
Tim and Cynthia Wilson have automated calf rearing with a central unit and five stalls to feed 200 calves on their Horowhenua dairy farm. This has freed up Cynthia, who was mixing and carting up to 700 litres of milk a day.
“My time is able to be managed when I want to, rather than being at the shed for feeding at set times,” Cynthia said.
“I still check the calves and do the training, but I’m not tired like I used to be. I have the time and flexibility to spend time with the kids, I even have time for after-school sports and activities.”
