How this water heating system helped this Wexford dairy farm

The milking process was already efficient on this farm, just outside Kilmuckridge in Co. Wexford, but a consistent and convenient hot water supply was needed for cleaning.

Island Farm is one of the most innovative and progressive dairy farms in Ireland. James, Allyson and son Andrew Walsh (pictured above) manage a herd of 80 Holstein Friesian cows and seek to push the boundaries of what can be achieved in the industry.

The farm has come a long way since James’ great-grandfather, George Walsh, bought the farm in 1870. The Walsh family are constantly seeking new and innovative ways to manage the business, most recently with their new robotic milking system.

While the robotic system had automated many aspects of the milking process, the farm desperately lacked an efficient and convenient system to meet the demand for a consistent supply of hot water.

The Walsh family had been using the electricity night-rate tariff to heat an immersion tank, but it was taking up to seven hours to do so.

It was an increasingly impractical method of cleaning the 6,000L milk tank and washing down the milking parlour, as well as having enough hot water left over for other necessary cleaning duties.

Flogas Dairy water heating system

James then met with Flogas sales executive David Conroy and registered gas installer Mark Murphy to find out the advantages of the Flogas Dairy water heating system.

David and Mark concluded that the installation of a 56kW Andrews FASTflo heater had the potential to produce up to 12L of hot water a minute (depending on water pressure at the farm), powered by a Flogas LPG bulk tank sited nearby.

An easy to use temperature controller also allowed the water to be heated from anywhere between 37°C to 80°C.

The instant hot water could then be piped directly into the robotic system, towards the milk storage tank and to a hose for any additional cleaning duties.

In addition, the heater’s auto-ignition system would enable James to completely eliminate the hot water storage and re-heating costs that were such an issue with his previous system.

Trial period

The farm’s robotic system marked new territory for Flogas, so Mark Murphy specified the installation of a single Andrews FastFlo heater with the Flogas bulk tank for an initial trial period that could produce 12L per minute (due to water pressure).

It proved so successful that a second heater was installed shortly afterwards, and now the Flogas Dairy heating system can produce 24L of controllable hot water per minute.

James stated: “The move to Flogas has definitely benefited the health of our livestock, particularly the calves.