The OptiWagon, an electrically powered autonomous feed distribution robot, will make its first appearance on this side of the North Sea tomorrow at the UK Dairy Day.
Completing the brand’s Optimat range of robots to provide a total dairy herd feeding solution from weighing, cutting and mixing to delivering feed, the OptiWagon was launched in Europe early last year.
The demonstration model in the UK is able to supply different rations from its 2.5m³ tub up to twelve times per day. Recipes and routes for the battery-powered vehicle can be set and adjusted via the DelPro farm management system. Maximum speed of the 2.9m long x 2.2m high x 2.1m wide wheeled machine is 3.5km/hr (feed out from 1.0 to 1.9km/hr).
Feeding is one of the biggest costs for a dairy farm and is also the most labour-intensive activity after milking, comments DeLaval specialist Wynand Bodenstein. “DeLaval stands by its concept of having separate products for mixing and cutting and distributing feed to provide a system that is better for both farmers and cows.”
More than 600 Optimat automatic feeding systems have been installed, mainly in Europe. There are two versions. The standard is for feeding 120 to 130 animals. The master version is a fully automatic feeding solution designed for feeding up to 1,000 cows.
The UK Dairy Day, a free-to-attend event, takes place at the Telford International Centre in Telford, on Wednesday 11 September. Entry and parking area free, and no pre-registration is required.
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