Batch milking reshapes dairy operations worldwide
VMS™ batch milking has rapidly grown in popularity and is in use across 13 countries. DeLaval also expects installations to double each year as farms seek ways to milk cows more efficiently. The low labour milking system uses DeLaval VMS robots to enable farms to milk 300 to thousands of cows with just one person.
“The DeLaval VMS batch milking system was first introduced more than five years ago to help address some of the industry’s most pressing challenges: labour shortages, rising costs, and the increasing demand for efficiency, flexibility, and scalability,” says DeLaval’s Ben Thompson.
Batch milking combines robot milking with traditional cow drafting. Cows are admitted in batches to a robot milking area and choose a robot to be milked at.
“Parlour milking requires skilled manual labour which is a challenge for many growing farms in the UK and worldwide. In addition to guided and free access VMS systems, batch milking offers another flexible option, integrating into existing infrastructure by grouping cows for scheduled robot visits as part original or new milking routines. This can increase milk production, improve cow comfort, milk quality and cow flow, while still maintaining current feeding strategies and reducing the need for expensive concentrates,” says Mr Thompson.
In the UK, batch milking has been implemented on a large scale in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. In 2024, 18 VMS V300 robots were installed to milk 400 cows and the system has the potential to milk 600 in the future.
“The cows are milked three times a day and the farm has seen yield increases since moving from a traditional 60/60 DeLaval herringbone parlour. However, the main benefit is that labour units have reduced from six staff to just one,” says Mr Thompson.
The farm transitioned the herd to batch milking easily by introducing the robots on a feed only basis to induct the cows to the new system.
“Since moving to batch milking the herd is calmer and easier worked with. Batch milking is being rolled out worldwide, with the largest installations milking thousands of cows. However, it is a flexible system that is also benefiting farms on a similar scale to that in Northern Ireland,” concludes Mr Thompson.
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