19/09/2025
Big news... VMS has arrived at Majesta. Voluntary Milking System uses robotic milking robots to allow the cows to come and go as they please.
The process to get the farm setup for the new system was an interesting one not made any easier by the seasonal conditions.
It all officially started in November 2024 when we went on a road trip to NSW to have a look at a robot farm that had been out of action since 2019. The farm had 6 Lely A4 robots, 6 Lely Cosmix grain feeders, 2 Lely Grazeways, 2 glycol chilled vats, chiller, buffer tank, generator and the all important Lely Brushes. After a long drive home with plenty of discussion and phone calls, by the time we got back the decision was made to make the leap.
Plans were put into place to get back over in early December with a crew from Robotic Milking SA and remove all the components then transport them back to SA. The robots and some other components found their way to Nankita where they would get the once over to get them up to spec for use again. The vats, generator, chiller are yarding all found their way to the farm.
Then the planning really began with an ambitious timeline to get all the cows dried off at the start of March and the new dairy ready to use for the cows when they start calving at the end of May.
It was an emotional day for everyone when the last cups were swung in the 44 Heringbone dairy that had been in operation since 1987 as a 22 unit before its extension in 2002 to the 44 unit.
The cows were all dried off on the 28th of Feb which happened to be a Friday, that weekend all the steelwork was gutted out of the shed with the roof support shift thanks to Brumfield Engineering and concrete prep work well under way the following week.
Robot frames were the next big thing to get in so we could get the plumbing done and fill the pit with rubble ready to start the concreting.
Zak and his crew from Lakes & Coorong Concrete did a fantastic job getting the last major pour done by the 17th of March. So in half a month the dairy was nearly unrecognisable.
The fun then started with a heap of yardwork that needed fabricating and welding and I am pretty sure John and Russell had enough of welding, cutting and holding by the time we finished that never ending task.
Robots landed on Majesta on the 1st of April with them being put into place on the following day. The new Milking shed was starting to take shape. But really the work had just begun for the crew from Robotic Milikng SA with all the robot wiring and plumbing required.
The fit out around the robots really started to take shape with Jeff running the hot and cold plumbing to the Central Robot units and also 2 water troughs that would run on mains water in the dairy. Every day had a new challenge but it was rewarding to see it all coming together.
Dairy Tech SA installed a brand new feed system with everything from the Mill to the Feeder heads including a shed over the mill.
Vat install was next. This task was made a lot easier with the use of the neighbours telehandler with its boom arm making light work of the task. James from Manning's Refrigeration and Electrical de-commissioning the 10000l fridge vat then installing the Glycol Chiller for the 12000l and 14000l vats.
Once the milk line, buffer tank and chillers were installed we were on the home stretch in the shed.
The laneways required a bit of modification to allow the cows to access the dairy without interference from car/truck traffic.
Cows started calving on the 24th of May with cows coming onto the yards on the 26th of May. Since then it has been a blur of learning how the A4 Robots work and what motivates the cows to walk.
We are currently milking 320 cows at an average of 2 times daily with 3 way grazing the cows have settled into their new way of life really well.
Thanks to all the people who have helped make this project come to life so we can continue to produce quality white stuff.
