Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

Time studies in dairy production are an essential tool when deciding about level of mechanisation and automatisation both in investment situation and improving efficiency in existing operations. In previous investigations such studies have been carried out during normal barn conditions during winter. Since there is a compulsory to have dairy cows grazing 3 to 5 months during summer time in Sweden time studies during this season is important to have a full picture of needed working time. During grazing season time studies was carried out at 14 dairy farms representing herd sizes from 66 to 450 dairy cows of which 6 farms with AMS. 8 farms were the same as studied during winter season. Time was divided in the same moment as previous investigations by LBT, Swedish Dairy Association and Swedish Institute of Agricultural Engineering, JTI. In this investigation new working moments regarded grazing of both dairy cows and young stock was added. The total working time for the dairy cows varied between 1.5 to 7.3 min/cow*day. AMS means the lowest time requirement and herringbone parlour the longest. Herd size per se does not mean lower labour requirement. Automation of mixing and distribution of feed save time. Getting cows from and back to pasture took between 0.0 (AMS-herd) to 0 1.7 min/cow*day (bad logistics). Three milkings per day does not mean that chasing time must be prolonged however time for milking increases by 0.5 min/cow*day. Comparing grazing and inside season, two farms decreased time. In average it took 0.2 min/cow *day to check young stock on pasture which is the same as time for feeding and treating time during winter time. Although milking is the most time consuming moment there are a lot factors influencing e.g. a collection pen with an automatic pushing gate before milking parlour means a time saving of 0.5 min/cow*day compared to not having this equipment, scraping instead of high pressure water cleaning of collection pit means saving of 0.15 min/cow*day. The annual working time when considering both grazing and inside season varied from 11 (AMS) to 33 h/cow*year. Calculation of annual daily time requirement for the dairy cows using BAT or low tech and bad management and routines for a 120 head herd differs between 4 and 15 hours and for a 250 head herd 10 to 23 hours. These figures are in agreement with other comparable investigations.
KEY WORDS: Dairy cows, young stock, grazing, time studies, logistics, automatisation