Why Southland dairy farmer Stu Cameron is confident he'll see production gains with GEA DairyRotor T8500 rotary
Milking 1,700 cows total across two farms, Stu Cameron sought a reliable milking system for optimal efficiency. Trusting in GEA for the second rotary installation after positive results with the first, Stu believes the DairyRotor T8500 rotary system is the key to improving efficiency and increasing production on his dairy farm.
Southland based couple Stu and Brooke Cameron started their dairy farming operation in 2001, initially operating on a 42-hectare Southland farm with a 12-aside herringbone. As their farming business continued to grow, so did their need for a bigger farm.
In 2014, the couple purchased a 900-hectare traditional sheep and beef farm in Mokoreta Valley, New Zealand and converted it to a dairy farm with a GEA 64-bail rotary system. Fast forward to 2022, and now managing a herd of 1,700 cows, the decision was made to install a second GEA rotary. For Stu, choosing GEA again was a “no brainer”.
“We find that the cow flow, the setup and just the efficiencies that GEA platforms provide us, we can continue to increase production levels, cow comfort and operator handling and safety within the shed.”
His goal with the new 54-bail GEA DairyRotor T8500 rotary system was to keep it practically identical to allow operators and cows to easily swap between the two.
The new platform was equipped with iCR+ automatic cup removers, cluster drop down, iSPRAY4 on-platform teat sprayers, and Intelliblend automatic teat spray mixing. Automatic cup removers were non-negotiable for Stu, emphasising the efficiency and superior cow flow they bring, allowing the rotary to be operated by a single person.
Stu also incorporated a cluster drop-down system to ensure clean entry and exit for the cows onto the platform. “We don't have cows getting tangled up in hoses or clusters. There's also a minimal risk of any contamination of hoses, or anything coming off when they're going across the bridge.”
The installation of iSPRAY4 automatic teat sprayers led to a significant improvement in the herd's somatic cell count, attributed to the four-nozzle spray coverage. “It provides superior coverage over all the teats, and I find that that has been a very good improvement on the original teat sprayer that we had in the other shed and we'll be looking to upgrade these too.”
To better manage dosing for teat spray chemicals, Stu opted to install the Intelliblend from FIL. The Intelliblend removes the need for milkers to manually mix and handle chemicals.
Stu's decision-making process also focused on cost efficiency, steering away from the traditional steel roller system in favour of the nylon roller system with auto greasers, which he found to be far superior.
Operating with a low-cost, pasture-based system, the cow production now stands at around 450 kilograms of milk solids (kgMS) per cow. Stu is confident that the efficiencies of the T8500 will contribute to further increases.
The T8500 has proven to be a robust and reliable system for pasture-based farming operations. With local support from GEA, the company offers a complete package for farmers. “Dealing with a New Zealand company with the New Zealand-built and produced product is very superior to dealing with anything else that we've seen in the market.” The T8500 is designed to suit individual farm requirements and goals, providing a reliable milking system that can be upgraded with further automation later.
Stu has had positive experiences dealing with Andrew Smith (GEA Area Sales and Technical Manager for the Lower South Island) and local GEA Dealer Nind Dairy Services, noting their approachability and knowledge. Stu also sources teat spray and cleaning detergents through FIL, emphasizing the seamless support provided for their dairy business.
“They provide a high level of knowledge of the wash system with our GEA plant that we run, and we really find that level of support important for the ongoing maintenance and care of the whole milking system.”
“We would highly recommend the GEA rotary, or any plant from GEA to other local farmers. The service and backup from GEA and our local dealer are really good. They provide a good product with good level of support, and they really know their stuff,” concludes Stu.
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