Gemini UP Milking Experience of Felix and Zita: Happy cows, happy farmers!
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A visit at Felix and Zita Hegner's dairy
Felix and Zita Hegner run a dairy in the Swiss district Zug. In addition to 55 dairy cows, they also operate an agricultural contracting business. Farm owner Felix already relied on modern, large-scale milking technology when he built his barn in 2003. For this reason, he trusts in milking technology from BouMatic and in his dealer for more than 20 years.
The decision process:
For Felix, the decision to use robotic milking was a drawn-out process.
After all, it was important for him for more flexibility and automation to be brought to the farm and yet not to compromise on milking, milking technology and animal health.
«I wanted to make sure the cows receive the same amount of attention in the robot as they get from us in the milking parlor.»
Together with his dealer, he developed a robot concept to integrate his new robot perfectly into his existing barn.
Happy Cows, Happy Farmer
The transition from Parlor to Robot
For more than 20 years, the Hegner family milked their cows in a BouMatic 2x5 herringbone milking parlor. In 2022, they planned to update the barn and the milking system. It was important to them to ensure that the robot would fit perfectly into the old building and that no major reconstruction work would be necessary. It was also important to them that they could automatically separate the animals at the robot.
«The Gemini Up was the only robot that was able to satisfy this requirement. It allows us to use the space in the barn in the best possible way.»
Focus on milking
The Hegner family lives for farming and for their cows. Therefore, it was very important to them that milking be as gently, quickly and completely as possible, even on the robot. Felix Hegner has already seen the difference of the right dimensions, settings as well as the right routines when milking in the herringbonen milking parlor in 2003. Having many cows with high milk flows, he also focused on these criteria when choosing the perfect milking robot. Just a few days after starting with robotic milking, the average milk flow has reached 2.8 kg per minute, and the robot has been very well appreciated by the cows.
Flexibility and free time
Of course, it was also important to the family to be more flexible and to be able to reduce their working hours because of the robot. However, they see the same effect with their cows.
"After all, the cows are no longer standing in the waiting yard for two hours a day, but can lie down or eat. That's also reflected in animal welfare and animal health."
"When I walk through the barn in the morning, I am in a great mood. Because the cows are lying down, eating and are satisfied. So what else could you ask for?!"
