Does parlour type make a difference to business performance? A DairyCo report published in the UK has revealed that choosing a rotary parlour as opposed to automatic milking systems (AMS) can have as much as 7.8c/L difference.Take a farm with a herd of 200 cows with an average yield of 6,000L, this can make a difference of €93,600 in margin alone.Somewhere in Ireland right now there is a farmer with a very important decision to make: 'Which milking parlour do I invest in for the next 20 years?'Which parlour will make the most financial sense by reducing labour, increasing efficiency and provide the necessary backup and support needed?'Dairymaster - the market leader of rotary milking parlours in Ireland and the UK - says its super-efficient Dairymaster Swiftflo Revolver Rotary milking parlour is the answer and, with the recent launch of six new rotary parlours, there is a Dairymaster Swiftflo Revolver parlour available to suit every farm and every pocket.Maurice Costello, a dairy farmer from Co. Kerry, said: "We went to visit different rotary parlours and checked out various brands.

However, we decided on a Dairymaster Swiftflo Revolver parlour because I was very happy with the finish and fast output of cows.

"The Dairymaster staff were very good; they were most helpful and could not have been more professional from start to finish."[caption id="attachment_307383" align="aligncenter" width="6367"]

The Costello family pictured on-farm in Co. Kerry[/caption]Mark Chetwynd, a Welsh dairy farmer, also had a tough decision to make. He had a different make 60-point rotary parlour; it was inefficient and costing him money, so he began to explore solutions.Would it be possible to upgrade to a Dairymaster Swiftflo Rotary Parlour and, more importantly, if he did, would he really experience that Dairymaster difference? Here’s what Mark said:“The biggest change and difference I’ve seen in my cows is the fact that the cows seem a lot more relaxed."We must’ve had probably 10 or a dozen cows out of 650 who would kick and we had to use a kick bar occasionally on them; since we’ve been in a Dairymaster, we haven’t used one."The let-down is a lot quicker; it’s quite clear to see. My yield has gone up. It’s unbelievable because we haven’t changed any ration; the rations have stayed the same."I would also say we are milking 30 minutes per shift quicker now to what we were. It’s a joy to milk in the parlour."[colored_box color="green"]There are numerous benefits to milking in a Dairymaster parlour, including:

Better udder health;
Maximise milk yield by typically 5% more;
Typically milk each cow one minute faster;
Lowest levels of liner slip.[/colored_box]

Overall, you are increasing output while reducing labour, which in the long run makes farming a lot more profitable.Dairymaster’s milking equipment has been designed to have the lowest levels of liner slip, excellent milk out and lower shear forces on teats, which is much better for udder health.https://vimeo.com/287438011/5c7ad8f9e9Research has shown Dairymaster to have the most stable milking vacuum, while applying a very low vacuum in the rest phase. This results in better teat ends by milking the way nature intended.Tomas Horgan, a dairy farmer from Co. Waterford, commented: "Since installing the Dairymaster 50-unit rotary parlour, I have seen a significant decrease in somatic cell count (SCC) and mastitis cases in the herd. My SCC is now 140,000.

Using only one operator, I am milking up to 220 cows per hour.

"I find the speed of milking very efficient and complete milk out very good because the automatic cluster removers ensure that no cow is under or over-milked."

Milking more cows in less time

As herds are increasing in size, the need for efficiency in milking has grown even more important. Dairymaster Swiftflo Revolver Rotary Parlours milk more cows, in less time, with less labour, by getting the basics right.

For farmers who want to go the automation route, Dairymaster’s intelligent technology boosts efficiency by controlling all functions from milking to feeding to drafting and even seamlessly integrates with its health and fertility monitoring system – MooMonitor+.The entire range of Dairymaster rotary parlours are of a very sound structure with strength where it matters; meaning it is built to last and this is evident when you look at rotary parlours installed by Dairymaster.For example, Tom and Simon Brown, Greenhills Dairy, installed the first generation Dairymaster Swiftflo Revolver 18 years ago; it is currently milking over 1,000 cows a day.From the first contact with Dairymaster, you will receive expert advice and parlour plans. Dairymaster is world renowned for its incredibly efficient installation, with its experienced and dynamic team.Many farmers have commented that choosing Dairymaster gives them peace of mind due to the company's top-class support and service.With the overwhelming benefits of a Dairymaster rotary parlour, it’s easy to see why it’s such an attractive way of milking, not only for this generation but also the next generation of young farmers, securing your future investment to producing milk efficiently.To get a free information pack on the six new rotary parlour options [button link="https://www.dairymaster.com/ie/six-new-rotary-parlours-just-launched/"]click here[/button].

A revolution in milking...

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