VMS: Voluntary Milking System

Milking, Feeding and Resting – your herd has an optimal natural cycle. Understanding the fine balance of a cow’s psychology and physiology is, of course, essential for better milking.

The VMS offers a total system that meets their needs better than any previous method. You profit with healthier cows, higher milk quality and better production, while saving hours every day.

Cows learn quickly as they step right into VMS for automatic milking, they enjoy the whole process and return as often as they need. More frequent milking means less udder pressure and less stress. Cows lay down more comfortably and rest.

Why use VMS

• Voluntary milking brings freedom all the time
• Cows can display their natural behaviour in the herd 
• The barn will be peaceful and quiet
• Milking three times a day the traditional way and without hired labour is less acceptable today
• Automatic milking will become the best realistic way to 2X milking for family farms
• It will be more and more difficult to find people prepared to milk the traditional way
• There is a growing need for better and more precise cow management to reach higher efficiency levels in milk production per man-hour
• People are looking at the general qulaity of life and want flexibility in their work schedule
• The new generation values even more the respect for quality of life
  

The VMS is a complete, automatic milking solution designed to optimise quality milk yield in the most humane, cow friendly, hygienic and efficient way possible. This reliable solution can cost-efficiently improve dairy farm productivity while considerably improving quality of life. VMS has numerous cow-friendly features found nowhere else on the market and represents an approach to robotic milking that emphasises the seamless integration for the complete robotic milking system. The VMS approach helps ensure maximum efficiency, yields and milk quality, while providing the farmer with more freedom, security and control.

FEATURES 

• Teat Cleaning: Complete teat preparation, cleaning, pre-milking, stimulation and drying is adjustable at cow level and designed to respect the guidelines of recommended milking practises.
• Advanced Robotic Arm: The hydraulic robotic arm is fast and quiet, yet very robust and gentle. It is made of reinforced stainless steel to withstand the harsh environment. Modelled on a human arm's flexible movement range, it allows more cows to be compatible with the system.
• No Compromise In Hygiene: The teat cups are fully rinsed inside and out between each cow. Cups that are kicked off are also rinsed before re-attaching. Cups hang upside down so water can freely drain. Quarter Milking: Every quarter milks out differently so VMS is equipped with one milk meter for each quarter to record time, yield, flow, conductivity and blood.
• Integrated Cleaning Unit: The system's integrated cleaning unit reduces cleaning time by 40% therefore increasing milking capacity. The entire cleaning process is controlled by the system and reported in the management software to give you optimal hygiene control.
• Touch Screen: A touch screen on the milking station puts you in control of the milking process. It also allows you to train new cows manually, in total comfort and safety.
• Remote Control: The remote control software allows you to monitor and control your VMS without physically being at the station. Now you can connect from anywhere on your own network (or even wirelessly) for more independence, less disturbance and better control.
• Milk Separation: Now you can automatically have colostrum milk, contaminated milk or bad milk (with blood or a high SCC) sent to one of four different locations. The milk separation unit can be positioned in the most appropriate area for improving your working conditions.
• Automatic Milk Sampler: The automatic milk sampler offers advanced functions like individual cow sampling or accumulated sampling. The sampler is conveniently cleaned when the VMS performs a full system cleaning.
• Stainless Steel Manger: The stainless steel manger is ergonomic and self draining so it is easy to keep clean. Feed is sprinkle fed during milking so each cow gets the correct amount. You can even program to stop the feed dispensing before the end of milking so the cow can quickly leave the station.
• Floor Cleaning: A cow-friendly, soft rubber floor and auto flushing to keep the milking area clean and reduce manual cleaning time. Direct Drive Vacuum Pump: This highly cost efficient pump saves up to 60 percent of your energy consumption because its speed is bus communicated by VMS to meet system-specific demands.
• Smart Selection Gate: Allows for virtually any combination of cow traffic to help you reach high herd performance while reducing labour requirements. More milkings per cow per day, more regular milking intervals, higher feed intake and less cows to fetch.
• VMS Management Software: VMS management software is a powerful assistant that helps you make the best decisions at the right times. This complete, integrated software gives you control over your cows, milking, cooling, feeding systems and so much more. The Cow Monitoring tool is your main control panel. It easily and quickly identifies cows needing your attention based on deviations in milking interval, conductivity, blood and milk yield. The software can also help you manage cow traffic in the most efficient way.