‘Thanks to its compact design, the Nano manure robot is perfect for our barn’

Located in Brecht, Belgium, Covens dairy farm is a family business founded in 1972. Around 15 years ago, Jan joined the operation alongside his parents. “We currently milk about 350 cows and take care of another 250 youngstock,” says Jan. “I’m responsible for the dairy cows, while my brother has focused on the youngstock at another site since 2018.” When Jan was searching for an efficient solution for cleaning the barn floors, the dealer recommended the Nano manure robot. Here, he shares his experience.

Automation in the barn

To comply with stricter nitrogen legislation, Jan looked for ways to reduce the farm’s nitrogen emissions and improve barn hygiene. “Manure that stays too long reacts with urine and releases ammonia,” he explains. “By keeping the floors clean at all times, you prevent that reaction and significantly reduce emissions.”

Since manual cleaning takes a lot of time and labour, Jan began exploring automated solutions. “We already had a feed pusher robot, but this was our first step into automating manure handling. As we already milk using a Fullwood JOZ Rapid Exit, it was easy to get in touch with JOZ.”

From advice to installation

Together with the dealer, Jan explored the options. “We wanted a system that not only worked efficiently but also suited our barn layout and the cows’ daily routine. Our dealer recommended the Nano manure robot because it’s compact, manoeuvrable, and powerful enough to clean the floors multiple times a day.”

Installation went smoothly. “The dealer’s technicians did a neat job setting everything up. If we had questions, we got immediate answers. Now that the robots are running, we occasionally get an error message, but a quick call to the dealer usually solves the issue straight away. That’s a real plus!”

Always clean slats and dry cubicles

The Nanos not only help reduce emissions, but they also save a lot of labour. “I used to clean the cubicles manually twice a day,” Jan explains. “We used a Bobman to spread bedding and clean the slats, but it wasn’t enough to keep the floors truly clean. Now, the manure robots pass over the slats 8 to 10 times a day.”

“Thanks to the manure robots, the slats stay much cleaner and there’s less manure buildup. Because the floors stay dry and clean, the cows carry less manure into the cubicles. That improves hygiene and is also better for the cows’ hooves. We’ve seen fewer hoof problems, which contributes to overall animal welfare.”

The cows quickly adapted to the robots. “At first, we monitored them closely to see how they would react, but they got used to it fast. The Nano moves slowly, makes little noise, and keeps a good distance from the cows. That allows them to maintain their natural behaviour and ensures a calm atmosphere in the barn.”

This means it is more difficult to repair something because you have to work under the grates. Rik and his colleagues were therefore looking for a reliable yet low-maintenance solution. ‘JOZ products are known to be very reliable,’ says Rik. ‘That’s also true in our experience, because we have had very few problems. If you work with slurry and straw, it can quickly lead to blockages. Fortunately, we don’t have that problem.’

Time for other tasks

Although much of the barn work remains the same, the robots do take over part of the workload. Jan: “We still need to bed the cubicles and drive around with the machine, but we save a lot of time on daily cleaning. That gives us more time for other tasks and helps us use our time more efficiently.”

Jan is very satisfied with the choice for Nano. “I looked at several manure robots, but most of them were much bigger. The Nano is compact and agile, making it perfect for our barn. And despite its small size, it’s still powerful enough. I’m confident these robots will keep doing their job for many years to come.”

Want to know more?

Looking for the best solution for your barn? Feel free to contact one of our experts or a dealer near you. They’ll be happy to inform you about the possibilities.