Evaluation of the maintenance and operation technologies utilised in domestic dairy farms

Patkós, István

Keywords: maintenance and operation technologies, ethology, ergonomics, environmental protection, economics

The evaluation conducted confirmed the opinions to be found in specialist literature, according to which competitive, sustainable milk production is now only possible in comfortable, open stables, with unrestricted livestock milked in highly automated milking stalls – always assuming, of course, an up-to-date breed and a high standard of feeding. This requirement for modern maintenance and operation technologies can only be met by unrestricted maintenance in open stables with litter, and unrestricted maintenance in open stables without litter. Of these, the litterless variety – which must primarily be considered because of climate change predictions – requires further investigation. Besides increases in specific yields and improvements in quality indicators, the additional building, insulation, air conditioning and operational costs can in all probability be balanced by greater productivity achieved through higher levels of automation, more modern solutions for the handling of the estate’s fertilisation – thereby also avoiding environmental protection fines – and other rationalisations. It appears necessary for the purposes of gaining experience to initiate some targeted R&D work and to examine the specific planning, building, operation and sustainable operation of a dairy farm “preparing” for climate change.

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