Robots are changing people in the field: Lithuanians are investing in robots and water beds for cows

A month ago the renovation of the second farm of the agricultural company belonging to the AB Linas Agro Group was completed, equipped with 2 intelligent milking robots from a Dutch manufacturer. The company has invested more than 345 thousand in this project. euros. Another 420 thousand. This year investments worth a billion euros are planned for the renovation and robotization of the third farm. The new technologies are expected to pay off in the next 4.5 to 5 years, according to the report.

“The investment has paid off, so we plan to renovate another farm in late autumn and install not only smart milking robots, but also modern beds, water beds for cows. Renovation works are scheduled to start as early as May. ”Says Simonas Greičius, director of the Labūnava Agricultural Company in the Kėdainiai district.

Labūnava ŽŪB, which was the first in the Baltics to invest in BouMatic smart milking robots last year, plans to employ 10 robots by 2025 and completely switch to an automated milking system, and increase the herd of cows reared to 650-670 . Currently, the company maintains 538 dairy cows, 2 farms repaired with 4 robots, supervising 210 animals.

Indicators of labor productivity and milk quality have increased

“In the past, you could say that we worked in a primitive way: the cows, as in many similar farms, were kept tied up. Now, in the renovated stables, the cows have complete freedom of movement and even at midnight, if they wish, they can go to the robot’s milking parlor and be milked. Until now, we monitor milk tests once a month, so decisions often had to be made based solely on intuition. When we installed the first robots and dairy cows got used to them, we see every day how much and what quality of milk each cow produces and what its health status is, ”says Simonas Greičius about the changes in the company.

The robots record how many times a day each cow has been milked, what is its ruminant time, what is the activity of the animal, how much milk is milked, what is the conductivity of the milk, when the estrus began. Using data collected from various robots, specialists can identify and prevent when a cow is at risk for mastitis, increased stomach acid, or another disease. In addition, the robots select the quantity and composition of the compound feed for each cow, taking into account its state of health, number of days of lactation and milk production.

The introduction of digital milking technologies in the company has also increased productivity. On average, the robots milk the cows 2.5 times a day. A robot serves 50 to 55 cows and does a job that previously required 3 people. “Before robotization, the company had 44 employees, and after renovating two farms and installing 4 robots, the number of employees decreased to 33. After renovating the third farm in the complex, 29 specialists will be enough to supervise the entire dairy farm. , “says S. Grečius.

The introduction of smart technologies, according to the director of the company, makes the use of feed more economical and also improves the quality of the milk. The robots separate cows that have been diagnosed with inflammation or estrus. Said cattle are directed to a separate pen, where they are immediately cared for by veterinarians.

Currently, the average annual milk production of Labūnava ŽŪB reaches 9.9 thousand. kilograms of cow’s milk. “The best dairy farms in Lithuania reach more than 13 thousand. kg, such as Lukšiai Agricultural Company of the Šakiai district owned by Linas Agro Group. However, we set ourselves another goal: not to achieve maximum milk production, but to achieve higher quality milk: higher protein and fat content. We hope that after a year, when the animals are fully accustomed to new technologies, the average milk production of our cows will reach 11 thousand. kilograms, ”says S. Greičius.

Within three years, the company plans to update the herd’s gene pool as well. Bulls are already being selected for breeding, whose offspring would be the most suitable to keep on a robotic farm. “When planning the future of the farm, we must invest not only in technology, but also in herd renewal,” says the head of Labūnava ŽŪB.

The cows will live like in a hotel

Currently, according to S. Grečius, both in renovated barns and in those still awaiting modernization, the animals are kept on straw sand, but providing the five barns with quality straw is a real challenge. It is not enough to have your own straw every year, but its quality also depends on how long it was when the harvest was harvested.

“So, in addition to the two milking restrictions, we decided to install water beds for 106 animals on the third farm, which provide warmth in the cold season and cool in the summer. It is one of the most advanced technologies, reminiscent of a simple mattress, which is placed on a concrete floor, fixed and filled with water. In such waterbeds, the cows appear to float, their weight is evenly distributed, and it protects the animals’ feet from rubbing, providing even greater comfort, healthier, cleaner, and most importantly, dry living conditions. Therefore, after the renovation, the third farm will become one of the most advanced and modern, and the cows will live in a luxury hotel, ”says the company’s manager, S. Greičius.

The curiosity of the animals helped overcome the challenges.

The first years of robotization of the agricultural company were full of challenges. “Not only we, but also the animals, look at new technologies with a great eye. We lacked experience on how to behave and how to force the cows to go to the milking parlor ”, S. Greičius recalls the first steps of robotization and adds that the second stage of modernization was much easier.

According to the head of the company, if it were not for the curiosity of the cows, the robotization of the farm would not be possible. “Cows are extremely curious animals: if they find the smallest space, they try to cross it. It happens that when they find the door open, they even reach the employees’ offices,” says the head of the company.

The first 100 cows took about a month to fully get used to the new technology. After setting up the second farm, cow “experts” were used to help the newcomers.

“After setting up a second farm for a herd that already knows how milking robots work, we brought in 50 cow ‘mentors’ and housed them for a week with cows that hadn’t seen the robots yet. Experienced cows showed the newcomers an example of how to behave, how to enter the milking parlor, so the second stage of modernization was much smoother, ”says Simonas Greičius.

Some cows used to new technologies even try to trick them. Because during milking, the robot gives the animals a delicious granulated feed. “It happens that some cows continue milking for fun, but the robot recognizes those turns and expels them”, laughs the head of the company.

About Kėdainiai District Labūnava Land Company

Labūnava ŽŪB of the Kėdainiai district, which is subordinate to the investment company in the agricultural and food industry AB Linas Agro Group, is engaged in agricultural and dairy production. It grows about 14 thousand per year. tons of cereals and milk 5.7 thousand. tons of milk and also sells around 400 tons of live weight meat. The company’s annual revenue exceeds 5 million. Eur, has 73 employees.