Why automatic manure cleaning?
Keeping barns clean is essential for cow health, milk quality, and overall farm efficiency. For decades, farmers have relied on traditional manure cleaning methods, such as manual scraping or mechanical scrapers. While these systems have served their purpose, they come with challenges: labour-intensive routines, maintenance headaches, and limitations in cleaning every corner of the barn.
Today, automation is transforming this process. Automatic manure cleaning solutions are not just a convenience, they are a game-changer for modern dairy farming. Here’s why.
How automatic manure cleaning can improve cow health
Healthy cows produce better milk and live longer. One of the biggest contributors to cow health is hygiene. Automatic manure cleaning systems contribute to keeping barn floors regularly clean, reducing contamination in bedding and lowering the risk of udder infections such as mastitis. Cleaner udders mean better milk quality and fewer veterinary costs, a win for both animal welfare and farm profitability.
Labour savings you can count on
Labour shortages are a growing concern. Finding and keeping skilled workers is harder than ever, and succession planning adds another layer of complexity. Automatic manure cleaning systems take over one of the most repetitive and time-consuming tasks on the farm: scraping manure.
Imagine saving up to several hours a day. That’s time you can reinvest in herd management, quality time with your family, or simply reducing stress on your team. Automation makes farming more attractive for the next generation and helps you cope with labour challenges today.
More efficiency and consistency with automatic manure cleaning
Traditional scraping methods work on fixed schedules, leaving manure to accumulate between cycles. Automation can change that. Automatic systems clean continuously, helping keep floors dry and improving day to day hygiene. This can contribute to improving cow comfort and creates a healthier barn environment, all without extra effort from you.
Do you recognise these challenges?
• Labour shortages and succession planning – Skilled labour is hard to find, and automation offers a sustainable solution.
• Maintenance headaches – Changing ropes and repairing conventional systems takes time and money.
• Deep bedding stress – Managing sand or other bedding materials adds complexity.
• Limited cleaning with traditional scrapers – Corners and tight spaces often remain dirty, but automation can handle them with ease.
Automatic manure cleaning at Lely is already 20+ years a proven solution that addresses real challenges on modern farms. A cleaner barn, healthier cows, and more efficient operations can be within reach. Automatic manure cleaning is no longer an innovation for the future, thousands of farmers worldwide have already adopted it. Read more in our next article.
