Ards Holstein
Ards Holstein
Ards Holstein
The Ards Holstein herd, home to 300 highly classified cows, is one of the most renowned herds of pedigree Holsteins in Northern Ireland.
The business is owned by the Patton family, who farm between Bangor and Newtownards. Continuing investment has always been a hallmark of the farm, with the installation of two Lely A5 milking robots a very recent example of this ongoing commitment.
The Astronauts operate in tandem with a Lely Juno silage pusher and a Collector slurry scraper, which cleans both the slatted and solid floored areas within the main cubicle house.
Wilson Patton takes up the story:
“We are currently sitting at an average output of 40L per cow per day for highs. But this figure is likely to rise as more fresh-calvers come into the milking group.
But in terms of the bigger picture, the robots have been a tremendous success. The herd average has risen to around 10,000L per cow: that’s an increase of around 1,500L since the robots were installed. When reviewing the year with our accountant and independent consultant they confirmed we produced the same volume of milk in 9.5 months this year as all of last year.
Two factors are kicking in here: the direct impact of the robots and the fact that the cows are on a better plane of nutrition.
Previously, the cows were being fed at a flat rate through the wagon. Now however, each individual cow’s nutritional needs are being met because of the tailored feeding programmes available with the Astronaut A5.”
He added:
“Milk quality levels have also been maintained since the installation of the robots. Butterfat levels are currently averaging 4.3% with milk proteins sitting at 3.5% since the beginning of the year.
We opted for the liquid feeding system. This means that all the cows are receiving glycol along with the concentrate nuts in the robot for the first six weeks after calving.
This approach is helping to boost energy levels and maintain the body condition.”
The Patton’s have traditionally bred highly functional cows with excellent type, capable of producing top quality milk. It’s a reputation that has engendered a strong demand for the 100 plus breeding heifers, which they sell on an annual basis.
Significantly, 2025 has been marked with the attainment of a first EX97 classification within the herd.
Since installing the robots, the Patton family has committed to breeding cows with higher levels of production capacity.
Andrew Patton commented:
“We now know that we can get more milk form the cows when they are milked robotically. So it makes sense to breed for that extra output.
The issue of teat placement is interesting though. We were told that we would have to breed for wider teat placement once the robots were installed. However, in total contrast, we have found that the Lely A5 can work with all types of teat placement arrangements.
And in fact, we have noticed that teat placement becomes less of an issue over time once the robot gets to recognise individual cows and heifers coming forward to be milked.
We see a big difference between the cows in the parlour shed verses the milking robots shed. They are healthier, more even, shinier, cleaner and giving a lot more milk.”
The Patton’s are just one of the many dairy farming families now committing to Lely robotic milking systems in Northern Ireland.
And this trend continues to gather momentum. The technology is trusted to consistently deliver the highest standards of milking technique for each cow and heifer on an ongoing basis.