Early stages of an impressive new DeLaval V300 build for the Jeynes family at Red House Farm in Longdon, on the Gloucestershire/Worcestershire border.

With a growing herd size they were keen to improve efficiencies so are installing a complete new free access cubicle shed which also houses two new DeLaval V300’s along with DeLaval Body Condition Score Camera, DeLaval Brushes and a DeLaval Milk Silo.

This new facility provides a host of fast, quiet and robust processes to prompt repetitive milking 24hrs a day, whilst providing the cows with a comfortable milking environment. The DeLaval V300 assisted by the Delaval InsightTM will ensure the cows are milked comfortably and efficiently, backed up with the DeLaval Delpro computer system, which will provide the Jeynes Family with important information on herd health and cow performance.

The install is scheduled to complete at the end of September 2021, but unfortunately with current climate situations affecting the availability of building materials and timber this date may change.

Overall, milking capacity will be increased and the comfortable system, along with the DeLaval extras, will equal very happy cows. We look forward to checking in on the results on completion!

The new 140 cow dairy unit at the Lackham campus of Wiltshire College & University Centre has now been operating successfully for more than nine months. The development forms part of a £22 million investment by Swindon and Wiltshire Local Enterprise Partnership (SWLEP) designed to address the rural skills requirements of the future.

T H WHITE and DeLaval have partnered with the College to equip the unit with the latest dairy technologies including two DeLaval VMS robotic milking units for everyday milking of the cows and a third one used for training students. The latest hi-tech innovation to be added to the unit is DeLaval’s LED lighting.

Farm Manager Philip Steans explains: “Dairy farmers have known for a long time that giving cows more light increases milk yield. Studies have shown that exposing lactating cows to 16 hours of light each day will cause the pineal gland to produce less melatonin, in turn leading to increased feed intake and milk production. The uplift can be between 5% and 16% – averaging 8% – so it’s an increase well worth having.”

A consistent duration of 16 to 18 hours of light is needed in each ‘photoperiod’ for the best yields, but it’s also important that the cows should be allowed a 6 to 8 hour period of darkness between the cycles to sustain the response.

Until recently the energy cost of providing the necessary illumination made the economics questionable, but LED lighting has changed all that. However, says Phil, it’s no good just using any LED lighting: “Cows see a different part of the visible spectrum compared to humans so it’s important not only to achieve the correct brightness, but also the right spread and colour temperature. By combining energy efficient blue LEDs with additional optical lenses, DeLaval has produced cow lighting units that deliver an even ‘bat wing’ spread of light.”

The really clever part is that the DeLaval units deliver light at three different levels – ‘Herd Light’ for the cows’ eyes, ‘Work Light’ for farmers’ eyes, and ‘Night Light’ for the 8-hour dark period when the cows rest but farmers still need to work safely. By ‘switching off’ the light that the cows can’t see and implementing automatic dimming as natural light levels increase, power consumption can be reduced by up to 75 per cent.

The new installation at Lackham has proved the yield benefits resulting from controlled ‘photoperiod’ lighting and the College is playing a key role in introducing these new technologies to the next generation of dairy farmers. If you would like to discuss how you can enhance the production of your herd by switching to this bright idea, just speak to your T H WHITE Dairy rep or call our branches at Frome (01373 465941) or Huntley (01452 830303).

For more information on the Lackham Dairy Engineering Course, or to apply for a place, go to www.wiltshire.ac.uk.

Whether its planned maintenance, breakdown support or a regular servicing contract you need, we are here to help.

Kuhn Primor 3570 with Cleanstraw

Effective straw shredders offer the potential of savings of up to 30% in usage rates of straw when bedding. But whether buying for the first time or upgrading, choice of machine is important, as Kuhn’s James Hutchinson points out.

“Versatility should be a primary consideration, so having a machine that is capable of feeding silage as well as spreading straw for bedding could be a good way to go,” he says.

“It may also be that farmers are forced into using some lesser quality material this winter, given the predicted scarcity, so a robust machine that is engineered to handle all types of fodder and straw is likely to be an advantage.

“Again, because it might be a case of buying in straw from varying sources, being able to handle both round and square bales, of all sizes, may be a consideration.”

Maximising straw use efficiency does mean achieving an even spread of material and accessing the furthest reaches of the shed: “Having a machine with a good spreading range is important in order to avoid large piles in the middle of the yard that will result in wastage and areas that are not bedded,” adds James. “A swivelling chute, capable of accessing both sides of the machine and reaching the corners is as important as the overall range and can be advantageous when bedding cubicles as well as straw yards.”

Straw quality may be an issue, as much as volume, and where matted or mouldy material is used that can lead to problems with air quality at the time of bedding. Kuhn has addressed this potential problem with the recent launch of its Cleanstraw dust control system on the Primor straw bedding and feeding range.

Available on new equipment, or as a retrofit upgrade for existing machines, the Cleanstraw facility reduces dust in livestock buildings by applying a fine mist of water to straw as it is distributed. It comprises a 64-litre water tank and three misting nozzles mounted at the exit of the straw blowing chute. The nozzles are fed by a pump which provides water at a flow rate to apply 1 litre of water per 100kg of straw, without slowing the machine’s normal performance.

Applying a mist of water at this rate and in this way eliminates excessive levels of airborne dust. Trials have shown that the air in a typical livestock building will be dust-free within 30 seconds after straw-blowing with the Cleanstraw system has ceased, compared to several minutes without the Cleanstraw facility.

“Reducing the amount of dust in livestock buildings not only creates a cleaner, more comfortable and more productive environment for cattle, but is also far better for farm workers. Apart from the health benefits of reduced dust in the air, the Cleanstraw system also allows better visibility when using a straw bedder, leading to more accurate spreading,” says James.

“Adding a fine mist of water as straw exits the spreading chute means very little water is required. This not only preserves the straw’s absorbency potential, ensuring it remains an effective and hygienic bedding material, but also means the speed of operation is unaffected.”

The Cleanstraw system is available on Kuhn’s Primor straw bedders that operate with the Polydrive hydraulically disengageable belt system that drives the feed rotor, and on the Profile Plus range of mixer wagons that have a bedding capability. The system is automatically activated when the Polydrive is engaged and can also be armed or disabled via an in-cab switch.

MyKUHN: FREE ONLINE SERVICES AND PARTS ORDERING

MyKUHN is an online customer portal, accessible to all owners and users of KUHN machinery. This free portal offers exclusive services to help you manage and maintain your KUHN machine fleet more easily.

Once logged in, on computer, mobile or tablet, you will be able to manage your KUHN machines by having access to parts catalogues and operator manuals in the Support area, order parts to click and collect from T H WHITE, find product and user information from the Expert area, as well as receiving updates on events and KUHN offers. It also provides an easy way to store wearing part references that you may need to order in the future. Kver

It’s easy to sign up – all the details and instructions can be found at www.thwhiteagriculture.co.uk/mykuhn

Contact your T H WHITE Agriculture rep to hear more about feeding and bedding equipment. You can also request a demo of many items at www.thwhiteagriculture.co.uk/get-in-touch.

Two key things that farmers with smaller dairy units are looking for are ease of milking and efficiency. With that in mind, the new DeLaval P100 Parlour has been specifically designed for family farms and grassland customers.

The new DeLaval Parlour P100 delivers a smoother milking process using fewer resources and offering the right level of automation for each individual dairy farm. Combining a simple and efficient sequential bailing parlour with a conventional exit system means that the P100 parlour is easy to install and will fit into existing buildings as a retrofit installation. With 1×3 to 2×40 options, designing a P100 to fit your space is easy.

Cows stand at 90 degrees to the operator and the new straight rump rail provides excellent visibility of the cows during milking from the wide aisle.

Whether you’re looking for a swing-over midi-line or a double equipped low-line parlour, the P100 is optimized for ease of operation and milker comfort. Compatible with state-of-the-art DeLaval Evanza™ clusters, system connected InParlour Feeding and advanced DeLaval milk extraction technology, a P100 parlour will extract more milk in less time with less stressful routines for milkers.

DeLaval EasyFlow™ features a wide entry and double exit, enabling cows to move smoothly through the P100. With its adjustable breastrail and sequence gates clearly defining the space for each cow, parlour loading is seamless, so your cows stay comfortable and relaxed.

For more information on the logical, straightforward DeLaval P100 parlour, contact the T H WHITE Dairy team on 01373 465941 (Frome), or 01452 830303 (Huntley).

Anthony Bown’s dairy farm, where he maintains a herd of 310 cows, sits high on the Mendips near Wells. 

“There’s no shortage of wind up here,” he says, “so it’s probably the last place you would think might suffer from poor ventilation. And yet I had noticed that the cows were becoming agitated. They were bunching in waiting areas and experiencing heat and stress, and were not comfortable in the bedding cubicles either.”

The importance of optimal climate control in cow sheds is becoming much better understood; a cool cow is a happy cow, and a happy cow is a productive cow. Fresh air and heat control in the cow shed, especially in hot weather, can make a significant difference to herd welfare and milk yields.

The problem at Anthony Bown’s farm was not so much the passage of air through the shed, but the need to achieve good circulation and cooling at lower levels. This is where the T H WHITE Dairy division were able to apply their knowledge of available equipment across the market to deliver a cost-effective solution.

Many dairy fans are designed to draw air in one direction through the shed, but T H WHITE proposed the installation of three CMP Vertigo fans. These innovative self-contained units can be tilted as required from 0° to 90° to direct the air exactly where it’s most needed, keeping the cows cool and stress-free whatever the prevailing conditions. Gearless technology, allied to quality manufacturing, means that the Vertigo fans are quiet in operation, low on maintenance and thrifty on energy consumption.

Suitable for a single-phase or three-phase power supply, the fans feature on-board motor control for speed control and safety. The aluminium blades have been designed for efficiency, generating outstanding airflow, volume and velocity throughout the speed range.

With the three CMP Vertigo fans now installed, Anthony can be confident that his cows can remain relaxed through the hot weather to come this summer. The installation is an example of the T H WHITE dairy team’s ability to deliver the right solution to a particular set of problems at the right price with an eye to future running costs.

If you have any dairy questions you would like to discuss with our experts, just contact our dairy team on 01373 465941 (Frome) or 01452 830303 (Huntley), or visit www.thwhitedairy.co.uk 

Many T H WHITE Dairy customers will know our young Dairy engineer, Jack Smiles. Still only 27, Jack has worked on many of our recent installations including the 20 x 40 swing-over 50 degree herringbone parlour for the Powell family at Priddy (see separate story here) and an update to the conventional parlour at the impressive training facility at Lackham College. He has also carried out VMS installations for Hugh Miles at Witham Friary and the Hanns at Rodden Down.

Jack’s story is one that illustrates just how well the relationship between a company, a member of its staff and the customers can work. Joining T H WHITE straight from school as an apprentice in 2010, Jack initially trained as a refrigeration engineer. After completing his two-year release course he started working on conventional milking parlours, adding VMS robotic milking units to his skill set in 2014.

“I love the job,” Jack says, “especially the technical challenges. But it’s also about getting out into the countryside, meeting lots of farmers and helping them to keep their dairies running at peak efficiency. There are so many new things in the world of dairying that it can take a lot of a farmer’s time just to keep up with it all, but that’s where we can help to point them towards developments that will make a real difference to their business.

“There’s definitely a place for conventional and new technologies, but it’s important to remain open-minded and take the best of what’s on offer as it applies to any particular farm. My job is to push dairying forward, helping farmers to survive and thrive, at the same time hopefully improving life for all our dairy customers by bringing them innovations and high standards of service.”

T H WHITE Head of Dairy, Nigel Ellis is certainly impressed by Jack’s progression: “It’s very rewarding to watch a young person start as an apprentice and then move through different stages, all the time adding to their capabilities. Jack is now a fully fledged Dairy Engineer and at 27 he is still just at the beginning of his career. He has real ability, so who knows what levels he will have reached in a few years time?”

Dairy technology has seen some remarkable developments and innovations in recent years, not least the sophisticated robotic milking and high-throughput rotary milking systems, as well as computer-based monitoring and control of herd health.

Many of these advances have been pioneered by worldwide leader in milking solutions DeLaval, but despite its forward-looking approach the company still recognises the value of conventional milking parlours and the benefits they offer to many dairy farmers. Indeed, the company continues to refine and improve its well-established range of parallel, herringbone and swing-over parlours for the 21st century.

The Powell family started dairy farming in 1958 and recently moved a short distance to a larger farm at Priddy in the Mendip Hills where they currently maintain a herd of 160 cows, but very much with an eye to expansion. A consequence of the move was the need to build a brand new dairy unit which, of course, included a new milking parlour.

“We are comfortable with the way we do things,” says Michael Powell, “and we take pride in producing a high quality product. I appreciate that for many farmers robotic milking and other new technologies are absolutely the right way to go and have brought many benefits, but we are used to a traditional milking parlour and it suits the way we work.

“Our cows are only housed from October to April and the rest of the time they graze the pastures, so our routine is based around conventional milking.”

The Powells have always had DeLaval milking equipment and, with more space available in the new dairy unit, they opted for a 20 x 40 swing-over 50 degree herringbone parlour, supplied and installed by the T H WHITE Dairy Division. “It’s twice the size of the one we had before and it’s really simple to operate.” adds Michael. “With two of us we can milk in one and a half hours, and even with one person milking it’s still an easy process.”

DeLaval herringbone parlours offer great throughput, causing less stress for the cows while making life easier and safer for operators. Construction is strong and durable for a long life, a factor that Michael values highly: “A big plus for us with this type of parlour is that in years to come I know we will be able to update it to keep pace with milking methods and demands. It’s economical to operate and it gives us a strong degree of future-proofing in an ever-changing market.”

If you are thinking about installing or upgrading a conventional milking parlour, our Dairy specialists at Frome and Huntley can guide you on the right choices to help you get the most from your herd, time and resources. Call them at Frome on 01373 465941, or Huntley on 01452 830303

Following the successful installation of the DeLaval VMS system at Lackham College, we were pleased to receive some great feedback from Farm Manager Phil Steans recently. “The cows are all milking well, quieter and faster than expected,” he said. “It’s a brilliant system, the process is outstanding and the robots phenomenal to watch. The cows are really taking well to the new system and the analytics are mind-blowing. Thank you T H WHITE!”

A further VMS unit has arrived on-site at Lackham and will shortly be installed as part of the new educational dairy facility which is enabling Wiltshire College and University Centre to offer a brand new University Level Dairy Engineering course for students aged 18 and over. The HNC and HND programmes are available either part-time or full-time across 1 or 2 years and will feature study into Livestock Production and Management; Technology, Automation and Robotics; Animal Genetics and Husbandry and Business Management & Accounting.

Apply online at https://www.wiltshire.ac.uk/study/hnd-agriculture-dairy-engineering-full-time

AirWash Plus is a genuinely unique and outstanding Automatic Dip and Rinse (ADR) system which offers several key advantages not available elsewhere.

A major factor in controlling mastitis, AirWash Plus improves parlour efficiency by automatically dipping teats and flushing liners clean, ready for the next cow. Unlike other systems on the market, AirWash Plus can be installed into ANY make or type of milking parlour, as well as ANY make and type of cluster assembly and liners. It can also be used with ANY sprayable dip. This allows farmers to choose the clusters and liners that suit their cows best.

The AirWash Plus system is being used successfully on farms across the UK to milk thousands of cows every day.

Dramatic improvements in somatic cell counts, mastitis levels and labour savings are possible when the system is used as part of a dairy hygiene programme.

As well as being suitable for all types of parlour and compatible with all types for clusters and liners, AirWash-Plus is also simple to install, either in new parlours or in existing parlours.

How does it work?

1. The cows are milked as normal. When the automatic cluster remover gives the signal that milking has finished, the AirWash Plus programme is initiated.

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2. As the process begins a special Y-joint releases a measured amount of teat dip which is mixed with compressed air.

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3. The compressed air propels the dip through the system towards the milking cluster where it is injected into the short milk tube.

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4. The blast of air creates a fine spray of teat dip inside the injector spray-nozzle in the short milk tube of the liner. The dip goes on while the teat is extended and coats the teat end, while both the skin pores and the teat canal are open and receptive to disinfectant and emollients.

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5. After the cluster is removed from the cow it returns to the ‘park’ position and the teat cup is

sanitised and rinsed repeatedly with compressed air and water. Dip residue on the inside of the liner is rinsed out and the entire liner is sanitised.

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To discover more about the way AirWash Plus can improve your milking efficiency, go to www.airwashplus.com, or call the T H WHITE Dairy Department on 01373 465941.

“One of the things I used to dread was evening milking. I would be thinking about it all day while I was doing other things – it just took the edge off a job that otherwise I really enjoyed.” So says Doug Roper of Roper Bloodstock (pictured right, above, with his brother Henry), whose dairy farm near Bromyard has a herd of 120, with around 107 in milk.

“Making it worse was the fact that our old Westfalia 8/16 parlour was completely worn out and the building that housed it was in a poor state. We knew we really had to start afresh and the turning point was the announcement of the Government’s Countryside Productivity Small Grants. The possibility of getting a grant unlocked the opportunity to redevelop our dairy.”

Doug began the application process in 2019 by seeking quotes from suppliers. “Given that we had the chance to make a significant change we were fairly sure that robotic milking was the path to take. The DeLaval Voluntary Milking System was impressive so as we were putting together our funding bid we began talks with T H WHITE’s VMS specialist Chris Newey.“Once we started looking at the options Chris suggested that we would do well to consider the DeLaval V300 VMS units which had been announced in 2018 and were about to become available in the UK. That was good advice as the V300 in not only 50% faster than the previous model but also has 99.8% accuracy in attaching teat cups and is quieter – delivering a stress-free and relaxed experience for the cows.

“The more we looked at the project, the more convinced we became that the one thing we would not cut corners on were the VMS units – everything else could be as cheap as possible!”

With a firm proposal put together, the Ropers made a successful grant application and their new dairy installation was started in the autumn of 2019, with T H WHITE installing two V300 robotic milking units supported by DelPro software. It was ready for the first milking on 13 January 2020.

“As you would expect it took a little while for the cows to get used to the new set-up but generally they took to it very well and were much calmer being milked by robots,” said Doug. “The first part of the year – when the cows were inside – was quite easy to manage, but when outdoor grazing started we had a few challenges in getting the cows to come in when they needed milking. It was all part of the learning process – all we had to do was set up the grass areas so that the cows had to pass through the shed to get from one to another, and problem solved! It means a fair bit of fence moving but the amount of labour needed is nothing compared to conventional milking.”

After just over a year, the Ropers can take stock: “It really has been a success,” enthuses Doug. “Our milk yields are up around 20% and it has transformed the way we work – no longer do I dread evening milking! Most importantly the cows are happy, partly because of the new milking routine and partly because of two DeLaval swinging cow brushes which T H WHITE also put in. The animals love those, and there’s nothing better than a contented cow!”

If you would like to know more about DeLaval voluntary milking systems and the V300, call our VMS specialist Chris Newey on 07880 798475 and visit www.thwhitedairy.co.uk

We have some great money saving offers on voluntary milking systems, DelPro upgrades and Evanza clusters plus attractive pricing on our best-selling Dairy spares.

Check our BEST SELLING DAIRY sundries too!

DeLaval Blockade
This ready-to-use, film-forming iodine teat dip makes use of I-tech (Free Iodine Technology) and ACT {Advanced Conditioning Technology). It optimally disinfects the teats and smooths the skin. It creates a fine elastic barrier that helps to protect against environmental bacteria.
20L: £108.70+VAT
200L: £771.00+VAT

DeLaval Calf Coats
Giving your calves a good start is an investment in your future.
Keep new born calves warm, strong and healthy to enhance their growth and performance in the cold weather.
• Water repellent
• Maintains body heat
• Reduces feed cost
From £28+VAT

DeLaval Milking Apron
This long, practical apron for parlour milking is made of waterproof PVC and stays flexible and comfortable even in cold conditions.
£18.30+VAT

Investing in equipment to separate slurry into liquid fractions has not only made muck handling easier for D and R Johnson & Son, but has also improved the quality of the end product, making it more valuable as a fertiliser. 

Tom Johnson, who runs a 140-cow dairy herd at Middle Farm near Salisbury. with his wife and parents, says savings have been impressive.

He says: “Fertiliser costs have come down by about £3,000/year, equating to about £60-100/hectare since we have been applying separated slurry.

“I work closely with my agronomist and soil test regularly to ensure we are putting the correct rates on, but it is a lot more efficient than simply hauling it out with a muck spreader.”

Cattle are housed for four months of the year in two main cubicle houses, bedded on sawdust and with all feed passages under cover.

They receive a total mixed ration of grass, maize and whole crop, as well as being parlour-fed and the 8,000 to 9,000 litre yield for Mueller is 60 per cent forage based.

David and Tom Johnson

In 2018. Mr  Johnson consulted local dealer T H WHITE about upd­ating his slurry handling system. 

Mr Johnson says: “We had an old concrete ramp to push muck up into the spreader and we scraped into a reception pit leading to the lagoon, but with Nitrate Vulnerable Zone (NVZ) regulations coming into force to restrict spreading, we soon found that we were lacking storage capacity.”

T H WHITE’s slurry specialist Bob Gallop specified a Bauer separator to remove solids from the slurry and make more of the lagoon’s capacity. The muck ramp was also removed and, instead, muck scraped over slats into a reception pit before being pumped to the gantry-mounted separator. Separated liquids are then pumped into the existing lagoon and solids pushed into a clamp at the side of the lagoon; parlour washings are treated separately.

Removing solids from the slurry also means it can be applied more frequently with less risk of contaminating the sward.

Slurry is spread from the 1.5 million litre capacity lagoon on the 13.5ha of farmland via the farm’s tanker.

In the next growing season, the plan is to improve the nitrogen uptake further by applying the slurry to the pastures using a Storth 7.5m dribble bar, putting it closer to the roots of the sward.

Mr Johnson says: “We have used a splash plate in the past, but our location is very windy and we want to improve the precision of the operation.

“Because we used to struggle for capacity, the pressure was to get the lagoon empty as soon as the NVZ window opened, but now applications can be more targeted after first cut silage and on the maize ground.”

The project was grant-aided by the Rural Development Programme for England Leader Funding Programme (now closed for new applications due to the UK leaving the EU) which covered 40 per cent of the investment. Plans for the scheme were drawn up by T H WHITE’s Bob Gallop.

Speed

Mr Johnson says: “Getting grant funding was a big help and it is not an especially complex process. We filled out the forms and submitted the plans and it came together quite quickly.”

Bob Gallop, T H WHITE Slurry Specialist

T H WHITE offers back-up for the system and Mr Johnson says it is low maintenance, with only one grease point.

Checking the levels and keeping an eye out for foreign objects, which tend to be filtered out by the slats, are the other routine tasks.

Mr Johnson says: “The separator has also taken pressure off the other machinery as there is no need to push muck up a ramp. The system also fitted into our existing layout, so there was no requirement for building changes or planning permission.”

One benefit of the development is that the newfound lagoon capacity allows for potential expansion, an option Mr Johnson is considering with space available in the cubicles and parlour for an extra 20-30 cows.

Tower

A further update may include the installation of a tower in the future, as the existing lagoon is not covered and rainfall can impact on capacity.

With grateful thanks to Farmers Guardian Insight, who have allowed us to post this article which first appeared in FGI December 2020 issue.

If you would like to discuss how you can streamline you slurry handling, take to T H WHITE’s specialist Bob Gallop on 07831 883734.

DeLaval Pro Upgrade

DeLaval DelPro™ – the ultimate dairy farm management resource – has just been upgraded to help you keep even closer tabs on your animals and workflow.

Forgetting to refresh the monitor board is a common issue, so there is now an auto-refresh feature to ensure you always have the most up to date information. Other useful new features include the ability to record and track animal health checks, combine multiple vaccination protocols for a single vet visit, ‘invite’ animals to timed AI protocols to overcome abnormalities and get them in calf sooner, as well as separating animals into different treatment categories.

These updates and many others make DelPro FarmManager 5.5 the best release of the software to date, so talk to your T H WHITE dairy rep to upgrade.

Great prices on cow brushes

DeLaval cow brushes promote improved cow health and welfare.

It’s no secret that cows that feel well also perform well. The swinging cow brush (1) is the cows’ favourite, grooming all over and stimulating blood circulation.

An alternative is the stationary brush (2) which can be installed anywhere in a barn or outdoors providing a safe way for cows to remove skin or parasites, also being suitable for calves and goats.

If you are farming smaller animals such as goats or you have calves, the mini swinging brush (3) is ideal, keeping the animals calm and clean as well as lowering the risk of skin disease. It’s also easy to change height.

Keep your calves warm

Keep new born calves warm, strong and healthy to enhance their growth and performance during the cold weather to come this winter.

Milk monitoring: Upgrade your milk meters or flow indicators

DeLaval yield indicator FI7 When milk yield from each cow is monitored accurately, you gain key data for efficient herd management. This compact yield indicator provides:

• Robust design with no moving parts

• Milk yield available cow side

• Additional monitoring of liner slips,

kick offs and cluster inlet  blocks**

DeLaval milk meter MM27BC This is a highly accurate ICAR approved milk meter which also monitors any blood traces in the milk, conductivity levels, kick-off and air entry in the liners. It offers fast milk yield monitoring and better control of cow health.

• Milk is measured continuously

• Monitors blood presence, milk conductivity and milk out performances*

• It is not dependent on a central computer.

Calf milk heater

This immersion heater has a curved, cross-shaped Teflon heating element for homogeneous heating and easy cleaning.

• Easy and adjustable temperature gauge using the illuminated digital control panel
• Acoustic alert signal when desired temperature reached.
• Can be used from minimum 150mm immersion depth and maximum 720mm
• Low weight of 2.8 kg

Dairy Cleaning Unit C200

Top quality milk means higher profits. To achieve this requires efficient, consistent cleaning of your milking system.

Milk deposits must be removed from the milking equipment after milking. If this is not done in an efficient and consistent way, it will have a negative effect on all milk passing through the system. DeLaval cleaning unit C200 is supplied as one unit, allowing efficient installation, operation and monitoring.

This fully programmable unit is electronically controlled, to provide a cleaning system that meets your exact milking plant requirements. This unit provides low running costs. The C200 is available in 40 litres, 80 litres, 160 litres and as a stand-alone unit. A wide range of accessories are available for the C200.

Contact your local THW Dairy branch for capital sales Frome: 01373 465941 and Huntley 01452 830303, or your local van sales rep for parts and sundries.

Great prices on cow brushes

DeLaval cow brushes promote improved cow health and welfare.

It’s no secret that cows that feel well also perform well. The swinging cow brush (1) is the cows’ favourite, grooming all over and stimulating blood circulation.

An alternative is the stationary brush (2) which can be installed anywhere in a barn or outdoors providing a safe way for cows to remove skin or parasites, also being suitable for calves and goats.

If you are farming smaller animals such as goats or you have calves, the mini swinging brush (3) is ideal, keeping the animals calm and clean as well as lowering the risk of skin disease. It’s also easy to change height.

Keep your calves warm

Keep new born calves warm, strong and healthy to enhance their growth and performance during the cold weather to come this winter.

Milk monitoring: Upgrade your milk meters or flow indicators

DeLaval yield indicator FI7 When milk yield from each cow is monitored accurately, you gain key data for efficient herd management. This compact yield indicator provides:

• Robust design with no moving parts

• Milk yield available cow side

• Additional monitoring of liner slips, 

kick offs and cluster inlet  blocks**

DeLaval milk meter MM27BC This is a highly accurate ICAR approved milk meter which also monitors any blood traces in the milk, conductivity levels, kick-off and air entry in the liners. It offers fast milk yield monitoring and better control of cow health.

• Milk is measured continuously

• Monitors blood presence, milk conductivity and milk out performances*

• It is not dependent on a central computer.

Calf milk heater

This immersion heater has a curved, cross-shaped Teflon heating element for homogeneous heating and easy cleaning.

• Easy and adjustable temperature gauge using the illuminated digital control panel
• Acoustic alert signal when desired temperature reached.
• Can be used from minimum 150mm immersion depth and maximum 720mm
• Low weight of 2.8 kg

Dairy Cleaning Unit C200

Top quality milk means higher profits. To achieve this requires efficient, consistent cleaning of your milking system. 

Milk deposits must be removed from the milking equipment after milking. If this is not done in an efficient and consistent way, it will have a negative effect on all milk passing through the system. DeLaval cleaning unit C200 is supplied as one unit, allowing efficient installation, operation and monitoring. 

This fully programmable unit is electronically controlled, to provide a cleaning system that meets your exact milking plant requirements. This unit provides low running costs. The C200 is available in 40 litres, 80 litres, 160 litres and as a stand-alone unit. A wide range of accessories are available for the C200.

Contact your local THW Dairy branch for capital sales Frome: 01373 465941 and Huntley 01452 830303, or your local van sales rep for parts and sundries.

A major milestone in the creation of a dairy engineering teaching facility was reached on 21 October when the first cows were brought into the new cubicle shed. 

The 140-cow dairy unit is part of a Wiltshire College & University Centre initiative which will result in an undergraduate Dairy Engineering course at the Lackham Campus, designed to equip students for the next generation of dairy farming, making the most of new technologies and techniques. Construction of the new teaching unit is being supported by the T H WHITE Dairy division and DeLaval in partnership with the College.

Plans were progressed through 2019 and the project was launched with the signing of an agreement of cooperation in January.  Although the objective had been to complete the unit in time to commence the new teaching course by the end of 2020 a number of unforeseen factors have caused delay.

Mike Howes, T H WHITE’s project manager, explains: “At the start we faced the need to re-house bats from an old building that had to be demolished, then we suffered unprecedented rainfall which really set the construction back. In late March, of course, we had lockdown. You couldn’t make it up!”

As soon as work became possible again the team really pulled the stops out and the structure of the new building was completed with flooring, drainage channels and internal walls soon installed. “By mid-October we had installed two DeLaval VMS robotic milking units, with a third one that will be used for training to be installed by the end of the year” says Mike.

“Now that the cows are in their cubicles and the slurry lagoon is operational, we expect to be milking with the new machines within four weeks. Given the setbacks, we are really proud that the new dairy unit will be ready for the first students in 2021.”

Students who successfully complete the course will be awarded an HND in Agriculture (Dairy Engineering), accredited by Pearson.

To learn more about the Lackham Dairy Engineering Course, or to apply for a place starting in 2021, go to www.wiltshire.ac.uk.

Although we are entering the coldest months of the year, it doesn’t take much stretch of the memory to recall the blisteringly hot summer with air temperatures regularly exceeding 30 degrees.

If anything, summers in the UK are predicted to get even hotter, so although cooling may not be at the top of your concerns right now, it’s the right time to start thinking about cow shed ventilation.

It’s a fact that cool cows are productive cows. The more cows eat, the more milk they produce. But when temperatures rise above 22°C (72°F), cows begin to experience heat stress and lose their appetite. Reduced feed intake means lower milk yield and also decreases pregnancy rates. An effective ventilation system should help to reduce heat stress, increase yield, and clear the air in your barn.

A key element in good barn ventilation is an effective fan system. Dairy farmer Hugh Miles from Witham Friary, Somerset, decided to get ahead of the game in order to keep his cows cool this summer by installing barn fans before the heat started to rise. 

Last year the T H WHITE Dairy Department installed two DeLaval V310 voluntary milking units at Hugh’s farm and he contacted our Dairy specialists again for advice on the cooling systems.

“The T H WHITE team carried out a survey in the shed and, with input from DeLaval, they worked out the best configuration of fans and positioning to achieve maximum airflow,” said Hugh. “We went for 12 DeLaval DDF1200 fans which were installed in April.

“Soon after that the temperatures were nudging 33 or 34 degrees, but the cows didn’t have to go out in the sun. Instead, they stayed in the shed where the fans ensured they remained cool and comfortable. It wasn’t just the cows that benefitted – it was a lot more comfortable for our people too!”

The unique frame design of the DeLaval dairy farm DDF1200 helps to push air-stream further, achieving a greater cooling effect with less energy than conventional fans. The highly efficient IE3 electrical motors, coupled with the ability to alter blade configurations to suit different airflow requirements, deliver the right balance of efficiency and performance. The durable, corrosion-resistant fan is both easy to install and easy to maintain.

“The fans have certainly proved their worth,” Hugh added. “The cool atmosphere in the shed through the summer resulted in an increased yield of around 1½ litres of milk per cow per day.”

The benefits are clear. If you are planning to keep your cows cool next summer, now is the time to think about DeLaval dairy fans. As well as supplying the fans, T H WHITE can take care of all the installation for you with an integrated system that  regulates performance to suit conditions and keep your running costs to a minimum.

After more than a century of developing some of the world’s best milking systems, DeLaval has launched what it describes quite simply as “the best parlour we have ever made.” 

Benefiting from a clean-sheet design and blue sky thinking from the start, the all-new DeLaval Parlour Milking System P500 is a complete change from conventional parallel parlour design. P500 has been built to create a safer, calmer, more comfortable, efficient and productive environment for your cows and workers. It adds up to higher yields, less time spent milking and calm, healthy cows with reduced incidence of mastitis.

At the heart of the design are three key innovations: the SynchroSweep™ sequencing gate, the SynchroArc™ neck rail, and SynchroControl™ which puts everything at your fingertips. 

The sequencing gates are not mounted in the floor; instead they are elevated and out of the way meaning there are no obstructions for cows entering the parlour. The individual gate indexing is a great feature too where a herd has cows of varied sizes. Because the sequence gates are made from HDPE they are light and very robust, plus they don’t overlap so they are quiet in operation, resulting in a calmer milking cycle for the animals. The gates are also removed during milking for added cow during milking for added cow comfort.

DeLaval SynchroArc™ is much more than an open-bottom neck rail with no obstructions. It has been designed to increase milking routine efficiency with a smaller footprint and fewer vertical space requirements. Everything from the open, bottle-shaped design to the unique ‘up and away’ action of the SynchroArc™ means you can load sooner, exit faster and milk with consistent indexing.

After milking the SynchroSweep™ gates are lifted clear, encouraging cows to leave the milking platform in a rapid but calm manner – up to 56% faster than with a conventional parlour.

SynchroControl™ is where everything comes together. The system delivers more information, more functions and more technology than DeLaval has ever offered before, combined with ease of use for the operator. You can choose between All-Exit/All-Index, All-Exit/Gang-Index or Gang-Exit/Gang-Index as you please, while you only need to use a single button to control the exit of the previous group and the loading of the next group.

The DeLaval Parlour P500 is solidly constructed, but also highly space-efficient, offering a reduction in platform width of up to 30% and a maximum ceiling height requirement of only 2.45m. That makes it ideal not only for new parlour installations but also foR retro-fit installations.

For details of the remarkable new DeLaval Parlour Milking System P500, just contact the T H WHITE Dairy team, at Frome 01373 465941, or Huntley 01452 830303.

Keep your calves warm

Keep new born calves warm, strong and healthy to enhance their growth and performance during the cold weather to come this winter.

Calf milk heater

This immersion heater has a curved, cross-shaped Teflon heating element for homogeneous heating and easy cleaning.

• Easy and adjustable temperature gauge using the illuminated digital control panel 
• Acoustic alert signal when desired temperature reached.
• Can be used from minimum 150mm immersion depth and maximum 720mm
• Low weight of 2.8 kg 

Contact your local THW Dairy branch for capital sales Frome: 01373 465941 and Huntley 01452 830303, or your local van sales rep for parts and sundries.

T H WHITE Dairy Division is offering these 20m³ EB side discharge bulk bin silos for sale on behalf of a customer. One has never been used, the other is six months old.

Designed in accordance with Euro-code norms, they are manufactured with EB Equipment’s unique blend of polyester glass reinforced plastic – corrosion resistant and UV stabilised for long life.  Both have top access hatches with ventilation, a smooth interior and 60° cone angle for consistent content flow.  They feature single-piece cone and body construction with superior thermal insulation values compared to steel.  

The supporting steel work is fully welded from structural hollow section and hot dip galvanised.  Fill pipe includes long radius bends. A ventilation pipe maintains internal ambient temperature. Outlet height is 2.8m at 1m from front leg assemblies.

To enquire further, please contact George Eno on 07483 064724.

DeLaval Pro Upgrade

DeLaval DelPro™ – the ultimate dairy farm management resource – has just been upgraded to help you keep even closer tabs on your animals and workflow.

Forgetting to refresh the monitor board is a common issue, so there is now an auto-refresh feature to ensure you always have the most up to date information. Other useful new features include the ability to record and track animal health checks, combine multiple vaccination protocols for a single vet visit, ‘invite’ animals to timed AI protocols to overcome abnormalities and get them in calf sooner, as well as separating animals into different treatment categories.

These updates and many others make DelPro FarmManager 5.5 the best release of the software to date, so talk to your T H WHITE dairy rep to upgrade.

Great Prices on Cow Brushes

DeLaval cow brushes promote improved cow health and welfare.

It’s no secret that cows that feel well also perform well. The swinging cow brush (1) is the cows’ favourite, grooming all over and stimulating blood circulation.

An alternative is the stationary brush (2) which can be installed anywhere in a barn or outdoors providing a safe way for cows to remove skin or parasites, also being suitable for calves and goats.

If you are farming smaller animals such as goats or you have calves, the mini swinging brush (3) is ideal, keeping the animals calm and clean as well as lowering the risk of skin disease. It’s also easy to change height.

Cleaning Unit C200

Cleaning unit C200 is supplied as one unit, allowing efficient installation, operation and monitoring. 

This fully programmable unit is electronically controlled, to provide a cleaning system that meets your exact milking plant requirements. This unit provides low running costs. The C200 is available in 40 litres, 80 litres, 160 litres and as a stand-alone unit. A wide range of accessories are available for the C200.

Contact your local THW Dairy branch for capital sales Frome: 01373 465941 and Huntley 01452 830303, or your local van sales rep for parts and sundries.

Iobac

Iobac is an iodine based teat disinfectant that can be used before and after milking.  It offers protection against a broad spectrum of mastitis causing micro-organisms.

• Containing 1500 ppm iodine in ready to use solution

• Excellent disinfecting properties

• Formulated with pH close to teat skin

• Available in concentrated or read to use solution

20 Litres: £29 + VAT

C-AlkaClean 

A chlorinated alkaline cleaning product for milking and cooling  equipment that effectively removes milk residues. 

An effective cleaning routine will contribute to a premium milk quality and reduce the risk of bacteria growth in the milking installation.

• Alkalinity to address fat

• Chlorine to remove protein residues 

• For use in alkaline dominant routines or alternate cleaning routines

• Effective in soft to medium water conditions

20 Litres: £15 + VAT

From your T H WHITE Dairy branch or your local van sales rep.

Milk monitoring: Upgrade your milk meters or flow indicators

DeLaval yield indicator FI7

When milk yield from each cow is monitored accurately, you gain key data for efficient herd management. This compact yield indicator provides:

• A robust design with no moving parts

• Milk yield available cow side

• Additional monitoring of liner slips, kick offs and cluster inlet  blocks**

DeLaval milk meter MM27BC

This is a highly accurate ICAR approved milk meter which also monitors any blood traces in the milk, conductivity levels, kick-off and air entry in the liners. It offers fast milk yield monitoring and better control of cow health.

• Milk is measured continuously

• Monitors blood presence, milk conductivity and milk out performances*

• It is not dependent on a central computer.

• Low service cost – no movable parts.

Contact your local THW Dairy branch for capital sales Frome: 01373 465941 and Huntley 01452 830303 or your local van sales rep for parts and sundries. 

Also, see us at The Dairy Show, Bath & West Showground, 7 October 2020. See bathandwest.com/the-dairy-show to confirm go-ahead and latest details.

Terms and conditions apply; * Blood and Conductivity function not available on MP100 series.** Not all functions available on all systems. 

FRESHEN UP THE HARDEST WORKER IN YOUR BARN!

Research has shown that regular use of the DeLaval swinging cow brush can lead to a significant reduction in clinical mastitis and up to one litre more milk per cow per day. 

As a swinging cow brush is pretty much in use around the clock, its bristles – just as with any brush that is used on a daily basis – become worn and less effective over time. Replacing the Delaval swinging cow brush cylinder helps keep your cows clean, calm, healthy and productive. 

Therefore, we strongly recommend that you freshen-up your brush on an annual basis by replacing the head – AT THE SPECIAL OFFER PRICE OF £100+VAT UNTIL 31 AUGUST ONLY! 

You or your T H WHITE technician can simply replace the head in a matter of minutes. 

TIME TO CHECK AND UPDATE YOUR FENCING

Whether you need a permanent fence or temporary fence, DeLaval has a wide range of products to match your needs.

DeLaval plastic posts are made from a durable material and have several fixed insulators. The foot has a spike for driving into the ground.

DeLaval Polywire offers a cost-effective solution with copper conductor strands for excellent conductivity. This long-life wire is available in orange, white or blue.

You will need the right insulators to make your fencing safe and durable, regardless of whether you are using permanent or temporary fences, or are using wire, rope or tape. DeLaval insulators are suitable for wire or rope up to 4mm and are supplied in quantities of 100 pieces,

DeLaval parts and accessories are available from our Dairy departments  in Frome and Huntley. Offers are valid until 31 August 2020.

Despite many inevitable challenges presented by the coronavirus lockdown, the new dairy unit that will play a key part in training students for a new undergraduate Dairy Engineering qualification is taking shape rapidly.

The course is being offered by Wiltshire College & University Centre and will be based at the Lackham campus just outside Chippenham. T H WHITE is partnering with the College in construction of a state-of-art extension to the dairy unit featuring two of the latest DeLaval VMS V300 robotic milking units, an advanced Bauer slurry control system plus a day/night LED lighting system. The complete project will benefit from industry-leading DeLaval software.

Lackham’s course, which will be supported going forward by T H WHITE with continuing input and resources, is designed to address the skills gap in the dairy sector. Focusing on the remarkable technological advances in dairying which have given us advanced robotic milking and precision herd management to a standard that simply didn’t exist only a few years ago, the course will give  students a firm grounding in the latest developments, allied to a strong career advantage in this fast-changing area of farming.

The steel frame of the new dairy unit on the Lackham campus was well advanced in June.

T H WHITE is acting as project manager for the new build, working closely with the College management team at Lackham and the main contractor, Haines Construction (Southern) Ltd. Our ‘man on the ground’ Mike Howes charts the progress so far: “There were some delays at the start,” he says, “as we were not permitted to demolish a few old buildings on site until planning consent had been granted for the new building. Then we had to implement some careful management of the water table during the extremely wet weather in February.

“When the virus broke out and demand in the construction sector tailed off, we were able to take advantage of the availability of steel and galvanising services to get all the necessary materials on site.”

Inside the building the slurry channel, as well as block walls for the VMS units and teaching spaces take shape.

These photos, taken on 25 June, show the structural steel work in place and blockwork for the VMS milking stations and classrooms in progress. “We were about three weeks behind schedule after the lockdown,” Mike added, “but we’ve now recovered at least two of those. We are still aiming to have cows in by September, with the building ready for students by October.”

T H WHITE managing director Alex Scott has played a key role in bringing the project to fruition. “Considering the challenges that have already been thrown at us in 2020, 

I am delighted that we have managed to keep the project on track,” he said. “The performance of the whole team in making it happen has been most impressive.”

Amanda Burnside, principal of Wiltshire College & University Centre, Lackham, said “The progress on this wonderful new facility has been remarkable. We are confident that the new course starting this autumn will offer students many first class career opportunities and we look forward to welcoming them.”

To learn more about the Lackham Dairy Engineering Course, or to apply for a place starting this September, go to www.wiltshire.ac.uk. Applications are now open and there is a helpful FAQ section on the website to guide you through the process.

DeLaval Prima Plus is a highly efficient teat dip incorporating a well balanced blend of two active ingredients, hydrogen peroxide and salicylic acid for a broad disinfecting spectrum. It is especially designed to be used in automatic spraying systems, but can also be dipped. The DART technology boosts the efficacy of the dual actives, causing them to be rapidly effective at low levels, thus remaining gentle to teats. Available in 20l, 60l, 200l and 1,000l.

DeLaval PeraDis is a broad spectrum disinfectant proven  to be effective against FMDV (Foot and Mouth Disease Virus), environmental bacteria, pathogenic bacteria, thermo-resistant bacteria and viruses. Based on hydrogen peroxide and peracetic acid, it can be used as a food area disinfectant (liners, clusters, bulk tanks, milk pipelines) and is particularly effective as a boot wash. It can also be used at up to 60-70 deg C.

Both these chemicals are available in 20l containers at just £40 ex-VAT until 31 August – from our Dairy departments.

T H WHITE has joined forces with Wiltshire College & University Centre to create a state-of-the-art robotic dairy parlour supporting the development of a dedicated undergraduate Dairy Engineering qualification.

The course, scheduled to begin in September this year, will be based at the College’s Lackham Campus near Chippenham where the 1,700-acre site is home to three working farms. The existing 140-cow dairy unit will be augmented with a new robotic milking parlour featuring two of the latest DeLaval VMS V300 robotic milking units, an advanced Bauer slurry control system plus a day/night LED lighting system. The complete project will be controlled by industry-leading DeLaval software.

Students will be introduced to the remarkable technological advancements that are revolutionising the dairy industry and will be able to study engineering and automation in a real-world environment against a background of business management and animal husbandry. As a full-time two-year course it will lead to a Level 4 BTEC higher qualification (a HND), or part time (HNC). With an entry requirement of a Level 3 qualification in a relevant subject (many of which are already offered at Lackham), the course will be particularly attractive to 16-18 year olds pursuing a rewarding career path.

Amanda Burnside, Principal of Wiltshire College & University Centre, Lackham, and T H WHITE CEO Alex Scott, signing the historic agreement.

Commenting on the new course, Amanda Burnside, Principal at the College, said “We are very proud to have designed and created the first dedicated dairy qualification for the sector, aimed at students with a passion for agricultural technology, engineering, science and automation. The new facilities we are building at Lackham, backed by £9 million funding from the Swindon and Wiltshire Local Enterprise Partnership, will be the envy of other farm automation learning providers and will, no doubt, create an amazing training environment for our students”.

Plans for the partnership between the College, T H WHITE and DeLaval have progressed during 2019 and a formal agreement of the joint cooperation has been signed. The initiative is now only subject to planning consent for which an application has been submitted with a decision expected in March. Work on the site will then be expedited, all efforts being co-ordinated towards the new facility and teaching rooms being ready to open soon after the start of the course in September.

As well as installing the new robotic parlour, T H WHITE will be supporting the course by committing to deliver lecture sessions during the year in which CEO Alex Scott and other senior members of the T H WHITE team will discuss business development and innovation in agriculture, with Head of Dairy Nigel Ellis covering the latest in robotic milking, feeding, fertility and other strategies for increased milk yield.

“We believe this initiative is exactly what is required to address the skills gap in the dairy sector,” said Alex Scott, “and we are delighted to be working in partnership with the College, as well as industry innovator DeLaval to make it happen. The course will lay a pathway to an attractive career combining technology and farming. To expand the range of studies T H WHITE will provide several work experience placements and offer student access to the company’s Frome-based business, from where our expert dairy team operates.”

Ciaran Murphy of DeLaval sees the new course as a great opportunity to attract more technically-minded young people to dairying: “DeLaval pioneered the Voluntary Milking System and today’s robotic arm on the VMS V300 units is quite something to see in action! Not only does it reduce labour requirements, making milking quick and efficient, but it is also comfortable for the cow. Integrating it with our herd navigator software enables constant monitoring of many health and reproductive factors for each animal, resulting in optimum herd management and higher yields.

“By participating in the partnership at Lackham, DeLaval can provide students with the hands-on experience and technical knowledge that will give them a strong career advantage in this fast-changing area of farming,” said Ciaran.

To learn more about the College’s Dairy Engineering Course at Lackham or to apply for a place, go to www.wiltshire.ac.uk.  Applications are now open and places for this pioneering course are certain be in high demand!

Bauer 655 separator pump and MEX mixer, collection tank and solids bunker (with Agribuild)

The sweeping downland of Salisbury plain outside the village of Shrewton is host to Middle Farm, where the Johnson family have been dairy farming since 1986.

Although still a medium size dairy operation, Middle Farm’s herd has grown progressively over the years and today 140 cows are being milked. Like all dairy farmers, the Johnsons have faced the challenge of slurry disposal, turning what could have been be a problem into a benefit. Tom Johnson takes up the story:

“We needed to increase our capacity for slurry handling and create a situation where we could more easily use the end products on our own 350 acres of farmland. Most ofthe land is either used for grazing or growing feed, so producing our own fertilizer contributes positively to the economics.

“Luckily our decision to tackle the job coincided with two things: eligibility for grant aid and a chance meeting with T H WHITE’s slurry specialist Bob Gallop at an agricultural show. We hadn’t worked with T H WHITE before but we instantly warmed to Bob – he really knows his subject and he was able to help us towards the right solutions.”

As well as specifying the necessary hardware, Bob introduced the Johnsons to Agribuild who participated in the tender for the groundworks and building elements of the project.

The tenders from T H WHITE and Agribuild were competitive and work on the new slurry installation was completed in April 2019. A new collection tank and solids bunker was constructed and fitted with a Bauer 655 separator pump and a MEX mixer, also from Bauer. These ensure that the nutrients are dispersed evenly and the separator divides the solids and liquid elements.

“The liquid has a high nitrogen content,” says Tom, “so we can apply that to the land with a dribble bar. The dry solid residue is now much easier to handle too and is also high in nitrogen, but it’s slow release nitrogen which makes it very useful on the fields.

“After less than a year we have already cut our fertiliser bill by a third as a result of recycling the farm’s slurry in this way – strong proof, it were needed, that we made the right choices!”

Four DeLaval VMS Classic voluntary milking units, Herd Navigator, DeLaval OptiDuo, robotic scrapers, 20,000-litre silo.

Martin Hann has followed in family footsteps as a lifelong dairy farmer. His father moved to Rodden Down Farm outside Frome in the 1960s, and now Martin, his wife Susie and their son Ryan have embraced robotic milking technology as part of a major upgrade for the future.

The new installation, which has been in use since April 2019, is truly impressive, featuring an expansive new shed, four DeLaval Voluntary Milking System (VMS) milking stations supported by DeLaval Herd Navigator software, a 20,000 litre feed silo, a pair of DeLaval OptiDuo auto feeders and robotic scrapers.

The Hanns have recently increased the number of cows being milked to just under 200 and there are plans to expand further to around 240. Based on a nominal figure of 60 cows for each VMS station, the new shed is set out in four sections, each with its own milking station.

Before the upgrade Martin and Susie milked in a tandem parlour: “I always thought that was a good system and if I had to go back to more traditional milking I would probably choose a tandem again,” he says, “but VMS technology has always attracted me. At first I wondered whether it would be suitable at Rodden Down as our cows spend time inside but are also free to graze on the surrounding pastures in the summer. Systems have moved on a lot in the last 15 years and we have put in automated pasture gates which allow the cows to come in and out as they wish; experience so far shows that they always return for milking.

“Now each cow is being milked on average 2.6 times a day instead of twice, with a consequent rise in yield. As you would expect, it has also made our lives a lot easier, giving us more time to attend to other aspects of the farm, but the real boon for us has been DeLaval’s Herd Navigator.”

This remarkable herd management system analyses milk samples to give detailed health and fertility profiles for each cow. It consistently predicts heats in the herd with a high degree of accuracy enabling accurate insemination. It will also detect clinical and sub-clinical mastitis up to three or four days before clinical signs are visible in the animals affected, as well as other health issues.

“Accurate identification of fertility has been a huge plus for us as it has meant we can keep the number of milking cows level throughout the year,” adds Martin.

An intriguing item among the farm’s new equipment is one of the first DeLaval OptiDuo robotic feed pushers in the UK. This battery powered unit follows a guidance cable buried in the concrete surface, using a twin-spiral rotating auger to remix feed and push it closer to the feeding rail without damaging or crushing the roughage. It can be programmed to workaround the clock, meaning that cows have access to feed 24 hours a day. This allows heifers and lower ranked cows the same opportunity to feed, with less stress and competition from dominant cows.

With robotic scrapers added to the other new kit, Rodden Down Farm is well placed to compete effectively in the constantly evolving dairy industry.

T H WHITE Head of Dairy NIGEL ELLIS, reflects on developments in dairying, profiling some of the installations carried out in 2019 and introducing key members of the T H WHITE Dairy team…

In the two years since Nigel Ellis took over as Head of T H WHITE Dairy the milk price in the UK has remained volatile. Nevertheless, dairy farmers have continued to invest strongly in their businesses and Nigel is determined to offer customers the best service in the market.

“There are many dealers out there competing to sell equipment and parlour installations, but at T H WHITE we believe that farmers need far more than that from their supplier,” says Nigel. “Our whole approach is based on long-term relationships, working with the farmer from the outset to ensure that what he is purchasing is right for the demands of his business, designing the installation to operate in the most efficient way, coordinating the build and installation and then making sure everything works as planned.

“Beyond that we will deliver servicing regimes appropriate to the equipment to keep everything running smoothly, and if something does go wrong we are on call 24/7 to get your dairy back in action as fast as possible.”

To sustain this promise T H WHITE has not only increased the numbers working in the dairy service department but has been instrumental in designing training packages to bridge the skills gap in the Dairy sector and entice newcomers to its sophisticated technology (more about this next month). Investment has also been made in the latest DeLaval VPR 200 diagnostic system which enables the technician to scan all the components of a dairy installation and instantly review which are functioning at their best and which may require servicing or other attention.

T H WHITE’s DeLaval dairy territory has recently been expanded with the award of Oxfordshire and Warwickshire.

“Our Dairy Van service is an added benefit too, maintaining regular contact with our Dairy customers and keeping them supplied with consumables and new products that can help their businesses.”

Nigel’s view of the road ahead is clear: “The key to the future success of the dairy industry undoubtedly lies in new technology. Milk prices are unlikely to rise sharply and labour is increasingly harder to secure, so the best way to survive and expand is through efficiency, volume and automation. 

“Some of the best solutions today are available from our dairy partner DeLaval. You will read in this special Dairy edition of White’s World how traditional twice-a-day milking can be increased to three milkings through the use of robotic milking stations. At the same time monitoring and analysis systems such as Herd Navigator™ can make a remarkable difference in the control of mastitis or the detection of fertility. All the data collected from each cow can also be processed by the DeLaval DelPro™ application and presented as accurate and clear information leading to better health in the herd and helping farmers to make informed decisions for greater profitability.

“For larger dairy farms we have seen the development of refined rotary milking systems. The DeLaval E100 and E300 rotary models show the way with their ability to handle large herds at each milking, all in speed and comfort for the animals.”

Augmenting the technology coming from DeLaval, T H WHITE also offers the unique AirWash Plus automatic dip and rinse system – the only one compatible with any cluster and any liner.

“It all adds up to a proposition that enable us to fulfil our purpose of helping customers to get the best from innovation and technology for generations,” Nigel concludes.

We hope that you will find much of interest in the Dairy pages of this special issue. If you would like to know more about any of the technologies and solutions featured here, our dairy specialists are ready to help. Just call the Dairy team on 01373 465941 (Frome), or 01452 830303 (Huntley).

If you prefer, you can contact Nigel on 07860 247367 or email nigel.ellis@thwhite.co.uk.

20×40 DeLaval 50 degree milking parlour, AirWash Plus

We last visited Whitchurch Farm near Ston Easton in February 2018 when brothers Tom and Jonathan Osborne were working with the T H WHITE Dairy team to finalise plans for a new milking parlour.

Now, bar a few minor details, the work is complete – and what a difference!  Alongside the cow shed that the brothers built in 2003 now stands a large and impressive new shed, one half of which houses the new DeLaval 20/40 50 degree herringbone parlour, while the other half accommodates calf pens.

The dairy is light and spacious – in complete contrast to the old installation which dated from 1976. “It has cut at least an hour off milking times,” says Tom, “which has made a huge difference to the way we can manage our time for other tasks.”

The large new shed housing the parlour.

The construction team moved on-site in August 2018 and the new parlour was brought into use in April 2019. The Osbornes decided to stick with a herringbone parlour as it is best suited to the farm’s needs.

“We are milking just over 200 cows and the throughput with the new parlour is great,” says Tom. “We did briefly consider a robotic milking system but we have 120 acres of grazing land and our cows spend a lot of time outdoors, so we didn’t feel VMS would have worked for us. Going for a herringbone parlour also meant that the cows were familiar with the system and apart from one or two stragglers they took to it straight away. Within a few milkings they were literally running in!”

The new parlour is more spacious for the cows and is also fitted with the AirWash Plus automatic dip and rinse system which saves a lot of time and maintains top hygiene standards. “Although we have always had a healthy herd and low veterinary bills, our bactoscan and cell counts are now even better,” Tom adds.

All-in-all a job well done which has assured milking standards at Whitchurch Farm for years to come.

20,000-litre silo, Compact Glycol Water Chiller (CWC) and Heat Recovery Unit (HRU)

Over the years, the economics of milk production have encouraged the formation of larger herds with higher yields. So it was that David Cotton, whose dairy farm is at West Bradley near Glastonbury, was faced with the need to upgrade the milk cooling and storage part of his business.

23 years ago, when it was installed, David’s 9,000 litre milk tank was ample for the farm’s output, but now that he is milking 250 cows and producing 8,000 litres per day he found himself right on the limit of capacity and relying on daily collections.

“I knew we needed more capacity but my decision on the best solution coincided with an incentive from our milk buyer Arla, based around giving them more flexibility on milk collection times. That meant we would have to be able to store at least two days’ output in tightly controlled conditions,” David explains.

The solution, put together with assistance from T H White Dairy engineers, comprised a DeLaval 20,000 litre cooling tank, a compact water chiller (CWC), plate cooler and heat recovery unit. Unlike conventional cooling units, the CWC uses glycol which can be cooled more rapidly than water without freezing, at the same time consuming less energy. Milk from the line is first filtered and then fed to a plate cooler style of heat exchanger where the chilled glycol is used to pre-cool the milk. The milk then flows to the 20,000 litre tank where the milk is maintained in perfect condition at 4deg C. In such large tanks there’s a need to protect the quality of the first litres of milk that enter the empty tank, so the evaporators in this silo tank feature a unique lateral configuration that ensures milk quickly covers an entire evaporator plate for efficient heat transfer. Gentle internal mixing also ensures consistency of temperature throughout the tank.

At the same time the DeLaval heat recovery unit is able to recover up to 60 per cent of the heat extracted during the milk cooling process which then produces hot water for use in pipeline and parlour cleaning.

“It’s a perfect solution,” David enthuses. “In general we now have a milk collection every other day, but we have the flexibility to deviate from that if necessary – it has boosted our returns and it suits Arla, so good all round.

“Although we had been using it for 23 years, the old milk tank was still in excellent condition so we have retained that, giving us a total capacity of 29,000 litres of temperature-controlled milk. If the collection tanker happens to arrive during milking we can also divert the milk into the original tank while the new one is being emptied.

“The whole system was installed very neatly by a single T H WHITE engineer who made a beautiful job of it. We are impressed!”

DeLaval 32×32 Fast Exit with feeding, AirWash Plus and backing gate.

“It’s such a great place to work!” So said Matt Kingston, standing in the vast new purpose-built shed which houses the family farm’s new DeLaval 32×32 fast exit milking parlour at Tresham, near Wotton-under-Edge.

“The old parlour dated back to 1972 and despite having been updated to a DeLaval herringbone installation in 1994, it was a dark, cramped place to work. It got very hot in there which wasn’t so bad in winter but was a nightmare in the summer,” he said. “To be fair, the building wasn’t really large enough for the parlour which resulted in it being very cramped for the cows – they would sometimes step backwards in the milking stall, miss their footing and put a hind leg down onto the equipment. That was distressing for the animals and could often cause damage to the parlour – you had to really watch what was happening.

“It got to the point where I would come in after morning milking, slump into a chair and ask myself if I really wanted to be doing this.”

By 2016 the Kingstons decided to address these issues head-on, not only with a new parlour, but also a spacious new shed to house it. With a 105ft roof span the new shed took the best part of two years to plan and build. “It was certainly tricky getting the huge steel components on-site,” Matt recalls. “They were far too long to be brought through the village on a vehicle so they had to come across the fields on a trailer. Even then they had to be raised to clear obstacles each side!”

At Tresham Farm they are currently milking 250 cows, but there is the possibility of increasing the herd to 300 in the near future, or even 400 in the longer term. “We considered all the options for the new parlour. We didn’t think robotic milking would be the best solution for our size of operation, but we did consider rotary. Of course, that’s another step up in cost and with a rotary  there is less opportunity to monitor each cow – once you have attached the cluster she has gone, whereas in a traditional parlour you have a little longer with each animal when you can tell if something is not quite right.” 

Following discussions with Matt, T H WHITE’s Dairy team designed the new parlour and work began on the installation in the new shed in late 2018. Tresham Farm’s contract for milk supply to Sainsburys has always meant that efficient milking and immaculate hygiene standards are at the top of the list and the new parlour incorporates feeding, a backing gate, an auto-sort gate and – importantly – AirWash Plus. “I wouldn’t be without that now,” says Matt. “It keeps mastitis closely under control and, together with the new automatic foot bath, helps to ensure that everything is clean and healthy.

When we made a follow-up visit to Tresham in December, the new parlour had been in use for just over 10 months and everything was as scrupulously clean as the day it was commissioned. It’s no wonder that Sainsburys have held meetings there for their producers; it’s a real credit to the Kingston family who are playing an active part in keeping British milk production standards at an exemplary high level.

GEORGE ENO Capital Plant Sales Specialist. Living the ‘good life’

George specialises in conventional milking systems. He joined T H WHITE 23 years ago as a Dairy Service Engineer, moving into sales in 2009. He loves getting to the bottom of what a farmer is aiming to achieve with a new installation, be that higher throughput, milk yield recording, animal identification, group or individual cow monitoring, and he then recommends equipment accordingly. He has found that whilst automation is a fast growing segment, there is still always a place for a simple systems that can be served by DeLaval’s robust, reliable equipment.

“DeLaval kit is probably the toughest and most reliable in the market,” he says. “It’s a company that invests heavily in R&D, listening to customer concerns and responding with solutions that meet those challenges, such as the stable harmony cluster designed to maximise milking speeds with low cyclical vacuum fluctuations.”

George knows that farmers get bombarded by salesmen, but coming from an agricultural background in which he worked in herd management for 15 years gives him the edge. “They appreciate that I know what I’m talking about, but they listen most to what other farmers say, so I often arrange visits to nearby farms where they can see DeLaval equipment, DelPro and various other milking technologies in operation.”

As a service engineer, George has witnessed how trust grows with farmers when they experience T H WHITE after-sales and service, knowing we will support problems for the life of the equipment supplied.

One of George’s proudest moments was a speedy parlour move for Bevan Lewis Baker, in Kemsey Commander, Monmouthshire. Weeks of careful planning enabled George and the team to lengthenthe parlour and move the existing equipment to a new site, all in one day.

Out of hours George is a bit of a green energy geek  – windmills , wind turbines, solar panels, ground source heat pumps are his passion, not to mention his productive vegetable garden, allotment and the three sheep he keeps. A true case of living the self-sufficient ‘good life’!

MIKE HOWES After Sales & Project Manager.   Retired Rugby player

Mike works closely with the sales team to scope the concept, materials, design oversight, cost control, staffing, welfare, and management of subcontractors and third parties for each project.

Mike joined T H WHITE in 1977 on an apprenticeship programme, achieving a HND in Agricultural Engineering. That choice was quite random – arriving late to a careers advice meeting at school he was made to draw a career path card.  It read Agricultural Engineer – so he thought why not, and followed it!

Mike completed extensive supplier equipment training and his experience gained him a promotion to Service Manager in 1994.  He left T H WHITE on several occasions – the first time in 1984 to work for the British Antarctic Survey for several years, followed by a spell in Saudi Arabia on a project creating the world’s largest pivot irrigated farm. In 2000 he was appointed Technical Services Manager of a 400-acre Center Parcs estate but returned to T H WHITE in 2011.

Dairy technology is now moving ahead faster than ever which means Mike and his team have to be (and are) adaptive, fast-paced and responsive. “Many of us have worked together for a long time – there’s a good vibe in a tight ship! We live our customers’ pressures and help each other, recognising our scarce skill set in this sector,” says Mike. “DeLaval is the world VMS market leader and I’m proud to represent the brand..”

Mike is a retired rugby player, but it’s a passion he has passed to his daughter and he now enjoys the excitement of watching her play.

ANDREW WELCH Service Coordinator   Mountain biker

Andrew is our Service Manager at Frome, also supporting our Huntley branch. Brought up on his grandparents’ Dairy farm at Twinhoe near Bath, milking is in Andrew’s DNA. He still remembers drinking from the churn when little and doing the Sunday milk round.

Andrew worked as a farm labourer in his teens and joined T H WHITE in 1975 on the engineer’s programme, becoming a fully qualified agricultural engineer.

After a brief interlude in the family business Andrew returned to T H WHITE amid the 1980s recession, calling customers to seek orders for on-site repairs and upgrades in the Cheddar area. . Relocating to Frome in 2000, Andrew joined the Dairy team.

Today, he and his engineers service our own DeLaval equipment and other brands in a large south west territory spanning Somerset to Hampshire, South Wales, as far north as Herefordshire and east to Berkshire.

Andrew is the primary customer contact point for breakdown and he liaises with engineers to determine the best skill set to tackle a problem.  He also deals with all refrigeration service contracts and bulk milk tank maintenance. When livestock are involved, there is often no time to spare.  Although it can be a challenge to take calls in the middle of the night, work out what’s wrong and pick the right skill to solve the fault, Andrew enjoys the satisfaction of having helped many customers to achieve a positive outcome.

When not at work Andrew can be found restoring retro equipment and organising Frome Mountain Bike Group rides.

BOB GALLOP Slurry Specialist   Avid gardener

Working at the mucky end of agriculture as T H WHITE’s Slurry Specialist may not be everyone’s idea of a dream job, but it’s a very necessary part of the cycle that delivers real benefits. 

Bob has been with T H WHITE for 45 years, joining as a mechanic and working his way up the tree over the ensuing 13 years to become Workshop Foreman. In 1989 he left for a two year spell at a Deutz tractor and RABI equipment dealership in Westbury, before embarking on a wonderful adventure running a Ford tractor dealership workshop in Tanzania. Exciting as that was, it played havoc with family life so he returned to T H WHITE in Frome as an Area Sales Representative. In 2013 the company decided to appoint a Slurry Specialist and Bob got the job. 

T H WHITE is a dealer for a select group of slurry equipment suppliers – Bauer for all fixed equipment, Hi Spec for tankers, Tramspread for umbilical equipment, Storth for auto scrapers and mixers and Vogelsang for applicators. Being able to represent them in this small sector of the vast agricultural industry means that Bob can offer a comprehensive and professional service. 

Away from the muck Bob enjoys delving in another kind of mud – as an avid gardener!

PAUL DERRICK Capital Plant Sales Specialist   Skittles supremo

Paul is proud of the fact that any dairy or refrigeration equipment that’s bolted or fixed to a wall, ceiling or framework,  is something he sells! Since May last year he has been project managing his own sales, directing our workshop engineers through Andrew Welch and Chris Newey, ordering capital goods, parts and ancillary equipment, and overseeing completion of projects to the to a clients’ specifications. Every day brings a new challenge and new problems to solve, which he relishes.

But Paul’s enthusiasm for farming goes way back – to the 1970s in fact when his father was friends with a local farmer who allowed Paul to spend weekends and holidays helping on the farm.  He enjoyed the environment and applied to our tractor workshop, joining in 1977 as a junior engineer. Advancing to being a qualified technician, Paul took advantage of every opportunity to learn the ins and outs of New Holland, Kuhn, Opico, Manitou and more…

After 19 years he took up a fresh challenge in Dairy van sales, visiting half a dozen farmers a day with supplies and talking about all-important upgrades and refurbishments.  Our van operatives are great brand ambassadors for T H WHITE are instrumental in building rapport and trust among our customers.

Paul was excited by the way technological improvements were freeing-up farm labour, allowing a stronger focus on the husbandry side of animal welfare. He later took the role of workshop foreman before moving to Dairy capital sales in 2001, supplying  both robotic VMS solutions and conventional systems.

When not working Paul is an accomplished skittle player for three different teams, captain of two and a few league championships under his belt.

GARY GRANT Capital Plant Sales Specialist

Gary grew up around farms and began his career by milking cows working for farm contractors before joining T H WHITE as a Dairy Engineer in 1995.  

After a brief spell away, he returned in 2005 and by 2011 he had worked his way up into Dairy sales where he now specialises in conventional herringbone and rotary parlour systems. Where a customer is interested in robotic milking Gary will rise to the challenge too, as seen in the installation recently completed for Hann Farming (see page 4), calling as necessary upon the expertise of our VMS specialists to take the conversations forward. That’s part of the benefit of working in a large and experienced team.

Gary is a big fan of Herd Navigator, DeLaval’s proactive herd management tool which identifies when a cow is in heat and how much feed is needed at differing stages of lactation, making cow health and reproduction a seamless process.  

DeLaval’s DelPro integrated farm management platform has also been a game changer for Gary’s customers.  Monitoring the herd’s well-being 24-hours a day, it brings all that data together allowing herdsmen to make decisions related to performance, feeding, health, milking and reproduction in one tidy application that can now be remotely accessed from anywhere with DelPro Companion. Gary appreciates the freedom and outdoor lifestyle of his farming career and the customer relationships he has built.

ROB WHEELER Draughtsman   Scooter rooter

Rob is the Dairy team draughtsman. He will often have three large builds on the drawing board, ranging in value from a few thousand pounds to more than a million. He loves starting with a concept and developing it into a fully operational solution – schemes can range from cow moving and handling systems, to a parlour design or a green field site.

For many of these projects T H WHITE will be acting as principal contractor, so as well as building work and planning submissions, every detail has to be accommodated right down to cladding and wi-fi points.

Having grown up on a dairy farm, Rob joined T H WHITE in the 1970s as an apprentice at Devizes, taking only a brief break to work in his family’s catering equipment business. Here he trained in CAD design, a step which enabled him to return to T H WHITE in 2008 as the dairy designer. Has undergone extensive training on DeLaval parlours, IOSSH and more CAD design development.

Rob has seen enormous changes in equipment based around computerisation and was closely involved in the design of the complex quadruple VMS milking installation for Hann Farming near Frome (see page 4).

In his spare time Rob renovates and rides vintage scooters and rallies them at his local club in Radstock.

CHRIS NEWEY Capital Plant Sales & VMS Specialist   Fisherman

Chris Newey is our VMS Specialist, also responsible for capital plant sales and Frome service co-ordination. He joined T H WHITE in 2017 following a career in mechanical engineering with Dairy dealers.

From the first time he saw robotic milking in action Chris was excited about the possibilities of the technology and has since made it a speciality. He is particularly pleased with the result  of having moved Hugh Miles from a conventional to robotic milking system (see page 5) – in fact Chris has never seen someone so happy: “I think he was elated due to all the extra sleep,” he says!

Chris’ mornings are usually spent organising our engineers’ schedules, getting parts ready and arranging service visits for the team. Dairy equipment is serviced annually as a minimum, but robotic units – which are at work 24/7 – require a service three times a year, so Chris pro-actively schedules client appointments, allocates an engineer and briefs them.

Later in the day he will return to capital plant sales, responding to enquiries for new installations or upgrades. This often involves a site visit to survey requirements, develop designs and cow traffic plans, followed by conversations with DeLaval to refine proposals.  Chris is always looking to achieve best value and longevity for the customer from each solution he presents.  He ensures he discusses future plans – does the client want to focus on technology or not? Do they want to grow their herd? Price variations between conventional and robotic equipment are minimal, but expansion is key and conventional solutions can be expanded easily without large investment – but create more labour challenges and longer working hours for the farmer. Robotic equipment, on the other hand, comes with more back-end technology to maintain, but frees-up labour to create a more flexible working day with focus on cow welfare. So the two paths level out depending on customer needs.

Chris rates the reliability of DeLaval equipment highly, and with proactive service planning the need for breakdown support is minimised, but 

T H WHITE is always on call with highly trained engineers.

When not at work Chris is rather proud of the fact that he can be found fishing, shooting – or sleeping!

Two DeLaval V300 voluntary milking units

A few miles south-west of Martin Hann’s farm, family relation Hugh Miles at Witham Hall Farm has also moved from a tandem parlour to robotic milking.

With 120 cows to milk Hugh opted for two of the latest DeLaval V300 Voluntary Milking System units which feature an incredible range of new technologies. A completely redesigned milking arm – which in many ways replicates actions of the human arm – incorporates DeLaval InSight™, a new and unique camera system. It learns and adapts to each individual udder, memorising the settings, eliminating the need for teat mapping and resulting in astonishing attachment rates of 99.8 per cent. The upshot is relaxed cows and efficient milking.

“We started to think about robotic milking because of the difficulty with labour,” says Hugh. “The V300 units essentially replace one worker, but the challenge was more about the issue of finding people prepared to do the work these days.”

The cows have adapted well to the new regime, forming an orderly queue for the DeLaval V300!

Hugh runs the farm with his daughter Clare and wife Hilary, and is grateful for the easier working patterns that the VMS has created. “Clare and I share shifts and because we no longer have to carry out the milking it means we can spend more time on all the other tasks around the farm. It has also given us more sociable working hours and I can monitor the whole thing from my mobile phone wherever I am. The system will even send me an alert if a cow has failed to leave the milking stall.”

More than just taking care of the physical activity of milking, the V300 captures vast amounts of data at every milking, from every cow – even from each teat. This data is all processed, analysed and delivered back in the form of simple visual reports. With a separate milk meter for each teat, the vacuum, pulsation and take-off are adjusted automatically, resulting in superior udder health. 

The cows at Witham Hall Farm underline the success of the system; they are relaxed and calm awaiting their turn for milking, actually forming an orderly queue for the V300! Calmer cows are usually healthier cows with better longevity, productivity, reproduction and yield.

Although ‘rule of thumb’ suggests that one VMS unit is needed for every 60 cows, Hugh believes that is under-estimating their capability. “Our yields have already increased since we moved to VMS and theoretically we should be at capacity milking 120 cows with two machines. But, looking at the milking patterns it’s clear that each V300 could handle more – maybe even up to 70 cows.”

Hugh’s V300s have been at work since September last year. In March, when they have been in operation for six months, he plans to augment the system with DeLaval’s Herd Navigator. “That will give us more control over fertility and will also reduce vet’s bills, proving the worth of our investment.”

FAN 1.2-780 separator pump, Bauer mixer

Dairy farming is a business that requires acumen and foresight to achieve the optimum balance between production, environmental impact and profitability. At Park Farm, Beaulieu, Arthur Rolf has been applying these skills while also moving the farm towards greater self-sufficiency.

One of the areas he has addressed recently is slurry handling: “All dairy farmers have to decide how best to deal with large quantities of slurry. We knew we wanted to make it work for us and we also wanted to maintain good environmental standards. 

“We were vacuum-tanking our slurry onto maize ground, but we knew that separating the solids and liquids would make it easier to handle, improve environmental control and result in products that had a value to us. That was when I called Bob Gallop at T H WHITE.

“Bob really knows his stuff and is always prepared to get stuck into a challenge, so when he recommended a Bauer mixer and a FAN separator pump we were receptive.”

As the installation was to be partly grant-funded Arthur obtained three quotes and he was pleased when the one from T H WHITE was the most competitive. “At Beaulieu we are some way outside 

T H WHITE’s usual territory,” Arthur explained, “but there are no slurry equipment suppliers particularly near us, so whichever company we chose would be some distance away. Being able to go with 

T H WHITE and have someone as knowledgeable as Bob on the end the phone gave us a lot of confidence for those inevitable occasions when we need to solve a problem.”

With the tender accepted the installation was carried out. A Bauer mixer now ensures the slurry is evenly distributed before passing through the FAN 1.2-780, mounted on steel staging. Founded in 1986, FAN Separator GmbH – now part of the Bauer Group – developed the first press screw separators, including the patented full floating screen technology employed in all FAN and Bauer PSS separators.

“In the late 1970s we were milking 540 cows, but following the introduction of milk quotas and a change of approach that figure has dropped to 340 today, says Arthur. “Now, instead of going for high yields of around 12,000 litres per cow, we aim for an average yield of 7,400 litres and we try to keep our cows outside for 270 days a year. Remarkably that is actually a more profitable model – the cows are happy and the amount of slurry to be dealt with is reduced.

“Not only does the FAN separator feature high quality stainless steel internal components for long life, but the fact that there is no need for the separator to be used in the summer months when the cows are outside, makes me think that if I clean it thoroughly every year it will outlast me!”

The FAN separator delivers dry matter to a bunker and the liquid element to a holding tank. “Following separation, the dry material is worth about £5 a ton to us as farmyard manure, while the nitrogen-rich fluid is worth £54 per cubic metre. The new set-up means we are now around 70% self-sufficient in fertilizer for grass, maize and haylage.”

Arthur believes that the dairy industry must now face up to pressing environmental challenges: “Methane is clearly a big problem and the media are very quick to spotlight issues mainly being raised by the vegan community about methane from dairy cows. However,  it’s important to keep this in perspective; while dairy farmers can certainly play their part in the control of methane, many other sectors– including the chemical industry – are contributing to the problem. Large volumes of methane are also being released as the icecaps melt and as a result of fracking. We need a universal strategy to address this, rather than singling out the dairy industry.

“Another challenge partly answered by slurry separation is that of urea. We return the separated liquid to the land using a dribble bar injector which reduces the release of urea to the atmosphere by over 60%. Even though we are not in a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone (NVZ), we have had so much rain this year that much of the ground is waterlogged, meaning we can’t inject at the moment. To prevent this becoming a problem in the future the next development on the farm could be a 4 million litre holding tank –sufficient to store three months’ output.”

     It’s great to meet a farmer like Arthur Rolf who not only has a positive vision of dairying, but is constantly considering new ways to balance his business with the changing world around him.