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Farm/dairy name: Lowfields Farm
Owner: Geoffrey Spence
No of dairy cows: 300
Breed of cows: Holstein
Housing: Loose housing
Milking system: DeLaval Herringbone stall 50°, 2 x 32 parlour
Number of milkings per day: Two
“We save the equivalent of 70 days annually with the new parlour”
Geoffrey says his “cows and heifers are more content in the new parlour and there’s no pressure on the milker. Every cow has her own space with the staggered rump rail and they are ideal for big cows. There is no bullying and we have easier access to the clusters,” he says. Geoffrey also believes the cutter gate places less stress on the cows.
It was taking “ages” to milk in the old 12/12 parlour. Cows were waiting in the yard for hours so Geoffrey decided to invest in a new 32/32 parlour. “It only takes 2 ½ hours to milk the cows and you are not jet lagged afterwards. We save the equivalent of 70 days annually with the new parlour” he says. Geoffrey and his staff can milk 120 high yielding cows per hour which is equivalent to 1700 litres per hour. “Two men usually milk the cows twice a day but if necessary one person could manage 90 cows per hour on their own.”
The herd’s average yield is around 10,000 kilograms annually, with butter fat at 4.0 per cent and protein at 3.15 percent. Milk from the herd is supplied to Arla Foods.
Geoffrey likes the “improved cow visibility” in the new parlour. The equipment “is farmer friendly and very tidy due to the ducting,” he concludes.
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The cows are fed using a TMR system and DeLaval out of parlour feeders
ALPRO allows Geoffrey to monitor feed consumption, herd health, milk yields and breeding. The latter is particularly important for Geoffrey because he sells a lot of stock and potential customers need to see the breeding records. ALPRO has helped improve the herd’s milk yield and fertility. It has also helped deliver a calving index of 384 days, with culling rates down to 18 percent.
Geoffrey’s vet calls regularly and works closely with him. “Cow welfare is our number one priority.” He adds that the Harmony clusters have also helped in this regard. “Teat condition has improved and mastitis has been reduced to a very minimal amount.”
A DeLaval parlour was installed in December 2003 and Geoffrey is delighted with his investment. The local DeLaval branch is close by in Northallerton where Malcolm Pattinson is the Capital Equipment Manager. Malcolm has been in the industry since 1968 so expert advice and excellent service is only minutes away from Lowfields Farm.
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