Source: DeLaval news release
Hannover, Germany (Nov. 16 2010) -- Smarter technologies, added system integration possibilities and further upgradability options are just some of the new benefits the VMS 2011 will offer dairy farmers, DeLaval announced today at the EuroTier showground in Hannover, Germany.
“A key driver in our company’s 127-year history has been to offer alternative solutions to our customers according to their needs,” DeLaval VMS Director Jonas Hällman said. “With every new product or upgrade we broaden that offer. We have a long tradition of setting up ‘single box’ as well as ‘multibox’ VMS installations; together with the introduction of the world’s first ever automatic milking rotary, the DeLaval AMRTM, we now further complement and build our automatic milking system range to continue offering alternatives to dairy farmers across all farming segments and herd sizes.”
The newest version of the DeLaval VMS milking robot offers quicker attachment and a smarter take off system to increase the station capacity. It also provides the options to see cow queue information on the touch screen and to know a particular cow’s exact location. Additionally, the VMS 2011 comes with an important software update that allows dairy farmers to be instantly in touch with every aspect of their dairy operation.
One of the main strengths of the DeLaval voluntary milking system VMS is that the company has made upgradability an integral element of development over the last decade. This means that even farmers with an earlier VMS can upgrade it to include the benefits of the latest model without having to replace the station.
“The VMS is an investment in automation which works immediately and can always be kept up to date,” Hällman said. “Besides strengthening its upgradability, integration and serviceability options, we have added new and important features, smart features, to the system.”
According to DeLaval, what’s important is how all those additions to the system translate into tangible benefits.
“Take cooling for example,” Hällman explained. “We are launching new cooling solutions, a new lower cost buffering solution, a new vertical cooling tank and a plate heat exchanger in the delivery line to increase energy efficiency. It’s thought to maximise profits by reducing costs.”
Integration across the farm system is another key part of DeLaval’s development approach. Earlier this year, DeLaval announced that its unique Herd NavigatorTM management system had been successfully linked to VMS. For an average European herd data shows that Herd NavigatorTM can bring net savings improvements of EUR 250* to 350** per cow per year and save farmers hours of guessing time on a daily basis as well as many calls to the vet.
Optifeeding is DeLaval’s smarter feeding solution designed to help dairy farmers save up to three hours of labor a day, improve performance and significantly cut feeding and capital costs. A key factor in gaining the best performance from your cows in a voluntary milking system is the planned feeding strategy. Optimizing feed preparation and delivery helps cows reach their full genetic potential. Frequent feeding leads to higher feed intake and more milk and it helps improve cow traffic in a robotic milking system.
Overall, on-farm analysis tools, serviceability and integrated herd management all provide system integration.
“We are extremely proud of the new VMS 2011,” Hällman concluded. “We are convinced that it will support dairy farmers of all herd sizes in achieving new levels of labor-saving efficiency, reliability, flexibility, animal health and milk quality while making a positive impact to maximise profitability,”
* Data from two reference farms in The Netherlands after one year of operation
** Data from Danish test farms
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