GEA introduces autonomous feeding robot

Increasing feed costs, limited farm labor and less predictable weather patterns are some of the biggest challenges facing dairy farms today. Added to this is the substantial amount of work involved in providing the right feed mix to several animal groups at the same time and in a targeted manner for optimum animal welfare and productivity. Based on almost 35 years of feeding expertise, the new GEA DairyFeed F4500 has been designed to take on this task independently and can handle herds of up to 300 cows. At the same time, it uses innovative sensor technology to reduce feed waste to a minimum saving time, money, and natural resources.

The feeding robot runs purely on electricity and can be recharged in an environmentally friendly way using renewable energies. No major reconstruction on the farm is needed for installing it, and the feed bunkers can also be easily positioned as required. The installation of the GEA DairyFeed F4500 also includes the automatic mapping of the farm with the help of laser scanners, including the definition of reference points and the driving route. Once the bunkers have been filled appropriately, the robot does all the rest of the work: it accurately weighs the optimum mix for each group of animals including additives, blends them, and feeds them at the desired times. The perfect mix, portion size and feeding frequency ultimately improves the performance as well as the welfare and health of the cows. At the same time, it reduces the CO² footprint, as high-performing dairy cows emit less methane due to an optimum diet. Different sensors enable the robot to measure leftovers, mixing quality and feed composition allowing automatic adjustments to feeding routines and reporting.

The robot is linked to the GEA DairyNet herd management system and can be conveniently monitored and controlled from mobile devices in real time. Besides giving farms maximum flexibility in their work processes, it also makes the job of a farmer more attractive, with a better work-life balance.

GEA will be exhibiting the new feeding robot for the first time at the EuroTier trade fair from November 15-18 in Hanover, Germany (hall 13, booth C26).