BEHAVIOR OF COWS AND ITS CONSEQUENCES RELATED TO THE USE OF MILKING ROBOTS

Abstract. Efficiency of utilization of a single-stall DeLaval milking robot was evaluated on a herd of 59 first calvings. The study was conducted at the turn of the second and the third month of the robot’s operation over the period A of 30 days, and in the fifth and sixth months: during the period B of 27 days. The total number of milkings was similar in both periods and came to 153 per day in the period A and 139 in the period B. The herd milked fairly consistently during the day, the hourly total ranging from 5 to 7 milkings. The average daily amount of the collected milk in both analyzed periods was about 1700 kg. The single cow’s milkings averaged 2.5. Almost 95 % of cows milked 2 and 3 times per day and about 4 % – 4 times. The daily yield for cows milked twice per day averaged 25 kg, and for cows milked 3 times – 35 kg. The difference in productivity between 2-times-per-day and 3-times-per-day milked animals was statistically significant during the both studied periods. The results of the study confirmed that the single-stall DeLaval VMS can be accepted and intensively used by the cows and that it meets the requirements of their well-being.