Dutch dairy equipment specialist had a novel mobile out-of-parlour feeder on display at LAMMA. Designed specifically for grazing herds, the unit uses EID collars or eartags to identify individual animals as they enter and dispense a given quantity of concentrate feed accordingly.
The firm says there are big benefits to rumen health in employing the set-up to stagger cake rations throughout the day, spreading gut loading and the potential for digestive issues such as acidosis. Generally the FeedStation is used in combination with in-parlour feeders, it providing the lion’s share of the daily allowance while a token amount is provided at milking to ensure milk let-down.
Hanskamp’s Spider computer system is fitted to the mobile feeder, linking via 4G with the farm’s cow management system to update rations according to milk yield and stage of lactation. The lids to the 2200-litre feed hopper host solar panels, making the unit totally energy independent. While a twin-box Feedstation will cater for 70-80 cows and retails for £27,400, the four-stall unit will handle up to 150 animals and comes in at £35,000.
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