MACHINERY

Saving time and labour are important on any farm and making small changes to everyday routines can pay dividends. For David Luxton, one of those changes was to his bedding up. Ruth Wills reports.

Bedding up streamlined

Since purchasing a new self-propelled bedding dispenser, David Luxton – who farms at Newlands Farm, near Bradworthy, Devon – has seen signi cant labour and time savings.

Having completed an overhaul of the farm in 2019, moving from a 16/16 DeLaval parlour to three DeLaval robots, Mr Luxton was keen to keep improving e ciencies to maintain a good work-life balance.

He says: “In October 2019 we started milking through the robots, moving from a grass-based system to a housed system, and bedding up became a bit of a bo leneck.

“We were trying to get the cows up, scrape the beds o , put lime down and spread sawdust all independently – it was taking two people 45 minutes to do the job.”

He tried a few di erent bedding machines, before se ling on the AG Duo.

“We tried some with engines, but as soon as we drove them into the shed the cows spooked,” he says.

“ ere was also a maintenance side with the engines – air lters and dust do not go together well – and they are very expensive.”

Mr Luxton was very keen to maintain a calm and quiet environment for the cows.

“As soon as we went into the shed with the engine powered machines the cows went from one end to the other,” he says.

“On a robotic system it is all about quietness, consistency and not upse ing the cows’ routine.” e shed itself contains the three DeLaval robots, which can each take at least 60 cows per day.

“ e shed is built for 180 cows, with 180 cubicles and locking yokes for each animal – we have put a lot of a ention to cow comfort,” he says.

“ ere are enough beds for every cow, 10cm of water trough space for each cow and rubber on the feed fence – we have done everything to maximise cow comfort and therefore maximise output too.”

Capacity

It was a chance encounter at LAMMA 2020 where Mr Luxton stumbled across the AG Duo. “We have always had AG Maxi dispensers, but this was the rst time I had seen the Duo,” he says.

He liked the fact it was ba ery powered, and had a brush with a big capacity.

Mr Luxton was able to trial the machine, the rst time it had been used on a commercial dairy farm, and he said rather than being spooked, the cows did not react to it.

“Because it is ba ery powered there is no maintenance compared to an engine and it has enabled us to streamline the bedding up,” he says.

“You would not need to charge it every day, but we do just to make sure it is always charged.” e conveyor belt helps to keep dust levels down.

“It is be er than having a blower to blow the sawdust out,” he says.

“It has agitators inside which keep the sawdust moving around, then the dispensers drop it on to the conveyor belt. e speed of the belt can be altered, as can the agitators and auger, to allow for di erent types of sawdust.

“You can switch each part on independently – so I can just put the brush down and use it for sweep-

David Luxton

The cubicle shed has been designed to maximise cow comfort and output. David Luxton says using the AG Duo has led to a big improvement in efficiencies.

AG Duo specifications

rHopper capacity: 350 litres rDistribution method: conveyor belt rSpread distance: 0.9-1.2 metres rMachine weight: 320kg rDischarge height: 0.45m rDischarge speed: 215 litres/min rWidth: 0.8m rPrice: £12,500

ing. e conveyor belt can be sped up to throw the bedding further or slowed down to keep it closer.

“ e controls are easy to use, it is like handlebars of a bike – just forward and reserve, a thro le and a bank of switches for controlling the machine.”

Efficiencies

Using the AG Duo has led to a big improvement in e ciencies.

“It is a more e cient use of time because bedding up cows on a robotic system is time critical. As soon as the feed is out, the cows get up so it is the best time to bed up,” Mr Luxton says.

“If you miss that window and they are back lying down then you are disturbing cows.

“It now takes one man to bed up in half an hour.”

Mr Luxton beds up once a day, adding: “In the a ernoons we just scrape o anything that needs it and pull the sawdust forwards.”

With every change to the business he was conscious that he wanted to future proof the farm, which he runs together with his partner Sarah’s parents – Rob and Elizabeth Haworth.

“We have improved the business for ourselves and the children, if they want a lifestyle within dairy,” he says.

“ e generation shi is huge. e next generations want a good work-life balance and we want to make dairy farming a ractive for them.”

Newlands Farm houses 200 pedigree Holstein cows.

Combat high fertiliser prices with Edwards Advanced Seaweed with the option of N

Farm facts

r200 pedigree Holstein cows rTMR diet comprising grass silage, maize, a blend and high energy, high starch concentrates fed through the robots r35 litres of milk per cow per day r4.3% butterfat and 3.3% protein rSupplying Saputo r121 hectares (300 acres) rAll-year-round calving