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The GEA Milfos iNTELSTART system.
THE GEA Milfos platform controller at cups-off.
Farmer Ben Smith and GEA Farm Technologies North Otago area sales manager Peter Vaughan with a set of Milfos cups each.
The yard is set-up and ready for an LIC Protrack drafting system when Ben wants one.
A wise investment at Waimate He’s had next to no issues with equipment “and any issues we do have, Duncan Engineering can be there 24/7. No matter what time it is Gary Duncan or one of his guys will be here as soon as possible, so there’s no problem”.
Brilliant service
Timaru-based ATR Refrigeration installed two Patton Pak units outside Ben’s new dairy. ATR Refrigeration managing director Andrew Turner says Ben chose them because they’re fully enclosed with a small environmental footprint, with dairy shed space at a premium. “They’re nice and tidy, clean, easy to service and the parts are readily available. They’re also fully electrically wired – and we modify them to suit the dairy farm’s requirements.”
Ben says he got brilliant service from the ATR team. “The refrigeration was put in on time and sized correctly, which is the key. “Many people will undersize or try sell you the cheapest unit but going forward it’s all about efficiencies.” And with milk cooling regulations to tighten, Ben says his relationship with Andy is crucial. “We believe these units are currently the best bang for our buck but in future we can futureproof with a snap-chilling unit.” Before milking started in the new dairy, in swooped AsureQuality – to check hygiene standards were met by the food processing unit for the milk export market. The company provides food safety and biosecurity services to the food and primary production sectors.
With skilled staff and extensive accreditations, AsureQuality audit, inspect, verify and certify food quality and management systems from the farm right to the supermarket shelf. Ben’s other shed has Protrack, so he’s futureproofed this dairy to install it in future when investment is warranted. LIC’s Protrack Drafter system is a fully automated herd management system that offers in-bail cow identification, alerts, intelligent animal feeding, event recording and drafting. The system not only saves labour and time, keeping track of the herd and its health, but all animal records are at your fingertips. “When building a dairy people often don’t put in ducting to accommodate Protrack,” says Ben. “But it’s something people should look at, so down the track if you want to install Protrack
you have access points to drafting gates and install costs are much cheaper – that’s what I’ve done.”
Back-up power
Ben’s also looking to get a Cowpower for the dairy because the first shed has one, which he shares between units. “It saves our bacon in storms – and we’ve used it right through to help with the new dairy build when we didn’t have power on-site. All contractors have used it and it’s never missed a beat.” Cowpower is the NZ dairy industry’s main generator supplier, says director Barry Hayes. “We supply self-contained Cowpower generators nationwide to those with herringbones to rotaries to robotic sheds.”