‘The power of the Moov – calm, cleanliness and regularity’

The Vijzelaar-de Boer dairy farm in Zeewolde has 110 dairy cows. Olaf de Boer runs the farm together with his wife and father-in-law. How do they manage it all? Alongside milking robots, they also use a manure robot and a feed pusher robot. Olaf explains why automation is so important in livestock farming and the benefits the machines bring to him and his business.

Combining two jobs

Olaf combines his work on the farm with a role in employment services. His wife also has a job outside the farm. ‘My wife and I have both made a conscious choice to work elsewhere. We want to be able to continue to develop and challenge ourselves, and the social aspect is important too. We’re located in a rural area, quite far from everything, so it’s nice to have another job where you can work alongside colleagues.’

It’s a challenge to combine two jobs, especially when one of those jobs is farming. ‘Many farmers are on their farm round the clock,’ explains Olaf. ‘We don’t do that anymore. We can comfortably go off for the day to visit family in Groningen. Thanks to the Moov 2.0 feed pusher robot, we no longer need to be physically present.’

‘In the past, I had to go back to the barns around noon to deliver the feed. Now, the cows have fresh feed 24 hours a day. This makes us much more flexible, and everything can continue running as usual. We’re always in control.’

‘Thanks to the Moov, we no longer need to be physically present’

An investment in bovine health

‘The Moov is an investment in bovine health,’ continues Olaf. ‘Our animals can consume feed all day long; there’s always plenty available along the fence. Animals lower down the pecking order also have a better chance now and no longer need to worry about not getting enough feed. Things are also much calmer in the barn. That’s the real strength of the Moov – it gives the cows calm, cleanliness and regularity. That’s really beneficial to the cows and the heifers, too!’

Smart sensor technology

In addition to the Moov 2.0, Olaf also uses the JOZ-Tech manure robot, another machine that Olaf believes helps create calm in the barn. ‘The robot moves very slowly,’ he explains. ‘That means the cows have plenty of time to move out of its way. It does take a little getting used to once you first start using it, but that’s always the case with something new. Cows are creatures of habit, but after two or three days, they had become comfortable with it and would continue just lying there as it passed by.’

‘The great thing about the JOZ-Tech is that you no longer have any obstacles in the barn,’ continues Olaf. ‘That means that the cows injure themselves much less frequently. I really believe in the technology of this manure robot. For that reason we opted for a JOZ.’

‘JOZ operates via sensors in the concrete. The robot moves from sensor to sensor, recognising more points along the route and reducing the risk of deviations. The system works very well. The JOZ-Tech ensures clean, dry grilles throughout the barn, including walkways, which is essential to good hygiene and preventing hoof problems.’

More info?

Want to know if the JOZ-Tech manure robot or Moov 2.0 feed pusher robot is suitable for your barn? Perhaps you’re curious about the other solutions available from JOZ? Please get in touch with our experts who will be happy to help.