Curscombe Farm

Using robotics to ensure cows are housed in a clean environment, always have access to fresh food and can milk when they want is helping to unlock the herd’s genetic potential at Curscombe Farm, Honiton.

Nicky Lockyer and family made the decision to move to robotic milking having recognised the old infrastructure was holding back cow performance. With two young children, automation would also build flexibility into Nicky’s working day.

A new building was designed and fitted by Nicky’s husband and agricultural equipment supplier, Chris Lockyer. The shed was created with cow comfort in mind, with wide passages, environmentally controlled curtains, water beds and access to two Lely A5 Astronaut milking robots, which were installed using a Farming Transformation Fund grant. Cows moved into the new-build in March 2024.

A Lely Juno automatically pushes up feed nine times a day, whilst a Lely 120 Collector travels around the shed vacuuming up slurry before depositing it in a collection pit. No manual scraping is required.

Nicky’s aim is to manage a healthy, productive herd with cows achieving six lactations and at least 60 tonnes of milk. “The Juno and Collector all fits with that,” she explains. “A happy cow that can do what she wants; milk and lie when she wants, doesn’t get disturbed by being driven, will give more milk and have better longevity.”

The team of robots have resulted in:

1.Less waiting

Cows are only shut away from the robots/beds for 15 minutes a day whilst the cubicles are bedded-up. This compares to a maximum of five hours a day when cows were waiting to be milked through an 8:16 herringbone. Cows are also not being disturbed by the scraper tractor.

2. Cleaner cows 

The Collector had already been in operation for 12 months in the old set-up and resulted in an estimated 15% drop in digital dermatitis due to less slurry in narrow passageways. Levels have dropped by another 5% in the new shed.

"We’ve seen a vast improvement in cow cleanliness,” Nicky comments. Cleaner udders has provided the confidence to use antibiotics on just 10% of cows at drying off compared to 30% previously. In the old system, an average of one case of mastitis a month was treated. This has halved in the new shed.

3. Better intakes

On the previous system cows were fed from troughs which were hard to clean. Now the herd feeds off an epoxy resin surface which is easy to sweep and lick clean. The Juno also ensures feed is accessible. This has lead to an 11% increase in daily dry matter intakes.

4.Higher yields

A better environment, improved feed access, higher milking frequency and ability to target feed through the milking robot has supported a yield increase from 9,700kg in 305 days to 11,300 litres.

 

BOX: Farm Facts

• Nicola Lockyer farming in partnership with mum, Jenny Bishop.
• 200 acres of grass and maize.
• 120 cow pedigree Curscombe herd of Holsteins. Calving all year round.
• Average 305 day yields of 11,319kg per cow at 4.07% fat and 3.38% protein.
• Milked through two Lely A5 Astronauts.
• Averaging 3.5 robot visits per cow per day.
• Supplying Muller Tesco.
• Average bactoscan of 10.
• 140,000 cells/ml average bulk somatic cell count.
• Breed half of replacements and buy in the rest.
• Use sexed and beef strategy with beef going to Buitelaar.