Page 26 - AWA Vol.37 No.4

DAIRY FARMING

TAKING THE PHYSICAL WORK OUT OF CALF

REARING WITH THE JFC EVOLUTION

The JFC Agri Evolution S4 automat- in paid labour, but there is still some
ic calf feeder feeds and monitors up work to be done filling the hopper and
to 140 calves on an individual basis. managing calf performance.
The control unit is complete with an “The JFC Agri Evolution S4 automatic
innovative touch screen display, dual calf feeder has significantly benefit-
hoppers and mixing bowls. ted my system of calving because it
THE BENEFITS has taken all of the physical work out
offending calves and you’re just left
Since installing the JFC Agri Evo- with management. You only have to
lution S4 automatic calf feeder, Sean spend a much smaller amount of time
JFC Agri spoke to Waterford dairy has seen a number of very positive monitoring calf performance.
farmer Sean Nolan about his dairy en- benefits when it comes to calf rearing
terprise, calving and how the JFC Agri and feeding. 4. SIMPLIFIED PROBLEM
Evolution S4 automatic calf feeder has IDENTIFICATION AND
benefitted his calf rearing and feed- EASE OF USE
ing operation.Sean Nolan operates a
280-cow dairy herd in Butlerstown, Co. “If you have a calf that’s not after
Waterford. “I milk 280 high EBI dairy drinking its full allocation, the machine
cows, two-thirds British Friesian, one- notifies you. You see a red flag if the
third Holstein Friesian. calf hasn’t drank which is very handy
and means you can see if a problem is
“We calve in both spring and autumn, about to arise before it does become
calving approximately 35% of the herd a problem.
in the autumn as we supply liquid milk. 1. EQUAL FEEDING OF
We would calve over 300 cows and CALVES “It’s also a very simple machine to
heifers most years. We start calving on use. My 11 year old daughter is able to
February 10, but calve all year around Sean feels that competition between use the machine and see if any calves
essentially. We just keep the replace- calves at feeding time has been re- aren’t getting their milk. If you can
ment heifer calves and sell off the rest moved. use a smart phone, then you’ll have
at about six weeks. We would have a “All calves receive the same amount no trouble using the machine,” Sean
lot of the same customers every year,” of milk, no matter how quickly or slowly explained.
said Sean. that they drink their milk. There’s no 5. CALF QUALITY AND
In 2018, Sean installed a JFC Agri mad rush, the calves can come and go WEANING
Evolution S4 automatic calf feeder in as they please,” said Sean.
his purpose-built calf shed. “In 2018, 2. PERSONALISED “The quality of the calves is much
I came across the JFC Agri Evolution better. It takes all the stress out of
S4 automatic calf feeder at the National NUTRITION PLAN weaning for the calf as it’s very grad-
Ploughing Championships.It was being The JFC Agri Evolution S4 automatic ual. It definitely takes all the stress out
launched at the JFC Agri tent. calf feeder allows Sean to design and of weaning. It gives the calf a great
chance to build up the amount of ration
“When I saw the machine, I knew implement a nutrition plan for his herd it’s taking in before its milk supply is
it was what I had been looking for. I that will allow him to meet the targets withdrawn,” said Sean.
decided to purchase the machine for that he has set on the farm.
three main reasons: Firstly, I felt that “You can design a programme that BEFORE VS. AFTER
it looked like a very tidy, easy kept best suits what you want to achieve. You COMPARISON
machine. are then safe in the knowledge that the
“The second reason was the fact that calves will be where you want them to Before purchasing the JFC Agri Evo-
the machine can feed four calves at be at weaning,” said Sean. lution S4 automatic calf feeder, Sean
any one time. It’s the biggest plus I feel used the JFC Agri milk cart.
that the machine has. No matter what, 3. SAVING TIME “We used to have the calves in pens
once the calf comes to the feeder, the AND REMOVING THE of 10 initially and then larger groups
feeder has milk there. It doesn’t have PHYSICAL LABOUR and bring the milk cart to each of the
to wait, it doesn’t have to turn around Sean admits that the JFC Agri Evo- pens to feed the calves. We would
and come back. There’s no messing lution S4 automatic calf feeder has keep the smaller pens for the young-
around. It has the biggest capacity to significantly reduced the amount of er calves.
feed calves quickly. labour needed to feed and look after “It worked well for us, but we wanted
“The third point is that for whatever the calves. to find a system that would reduce the
reason, if the machine ran out of milk “I was employing a person to feed the time and labour needed to feed the
replacer or the power went, because of calves, whereas now I can look after the calves. The time it took and the labour
the four stations, the backlog would be calves during the day when it’s quieter. was too much. Our farm is on a hill so
easily cleared as there are four stations I’m definitely saving two hours per day it was also heavy pushing the cart up
on the go,” Sean explained. the hill,” said Sean.

24 Vol. 37 No. 4 Circle 30 on enquiry card