SCEA Domaine du Coudray: A dairy farm gaining performance through precision management and automation
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Installed since 2001, Cyril has significantly transformed his farm over time. Originally operating a mixed system combining milk production and young bull fattening, the farm has gradually become fully specialised in dairy production. Today, it produces around 1.6 million litres of milk and delivers remarkable performance, driven by strict organisation, closely monitored feeding, and the introduction of milking robots.
At the beginning, the farm had around fifty cows, produced approximately 450,000 litres of milk, and included a bull fattening unit. After the end of milk quotas, milk production gradually increased. Heifers progressively replaced bulls in the buildings, until the beef unit was fully stopped at the end of 2019. From 2020 onwards, the farm reached a first major milestone with around 1 million litres of milk.
The second turning point came in September 2024 with the commissioning of milking robots. Since then, progress has been clear. Production, which previously plateaued at around 35 to 36 kg of milk per cow per day, has increased step by step: 39 kg, then 41 to 44 kg during 2025, reaching around 46 to 47 kg today. Cyril believes there is still room for improvement, but with a clear mindset: producing more only makes sense if margins follow.
The key figure: the farm has increased from around 35 kg of milk per cow before robotisation to 46–47 kg per cow per day, while maintaining a herd of around 115 to 120 milking cows to optimise the system.
The goal is not to “produce milk for the sake of producing milk”, but to improve income.
Profitability first
What stands out in Cyril’s experience is a very pragmatic vision of performance. The goal is not to “produce milk for the sake of producing milk”, but to improve income. Together with his nutritionist, he closely monitors feed margin to ensure that every investment in nutrition translates into real productive and economic returns.
This logic drives technical decisions. The ration is built around high-quality forages, carefully adjusted supplementation at the robot, and precise animal monitoring. When a cow reaches a higher production level, her feed intake may increase by a maximum of 300 g. Conversely, reductions are deliberately more gradual, limited to 100 g, to avoid penalising cows that may only be going through a temporary dip.
Robots revealing herd potential
Automation has changed the milking rhythm. Where cows were previously limited to two milkings per day in a conventional parlour, they can now pass through the robot on average 2.5 to 3 times per day. The best cows are therefore able to express more of their genetic potential, achieving peak production levels that would have been difficult to reach in the previous system.
Milk quality remains under control. Somatic cell counts generally range between 120,000 and 150,000 cells. The first three months were more challenging, with installation stress and some cases of mastitis, but the situation quickly stabilised. Fat and protein levels slightly decreased with higher volumes, which is expected, but the total output of useful milk solids is higher than in the parlour system.
A barn layout designed for flow efficiency
The success of the project also relies on barn design. Instead of heavily modifying existing facilities, Cyril chose to build an extension dedicated to the robots. This approach minimised disruption for the animals during construction and allowed efficient sorting areas to be integrated.
The sorting zone includes twelve cubicles and a small straw-bedded pen for cows requiring closer monitoring. First-calving heifers and freshly calved cows typically spend 7 to 10 days there, learning to use the robot. This area also facilitates hoof trimming, drying off, isolating sick cows, or monitoring vulnerable animals.
In front of the robot area, a 50 m² slatted floor zone and additional water points were installed to encourage cows to visit the robots. Some of the water troughs in this area are supplied by pre-cooling milk water, encouraging higher water intake. This zone is highly frequented by cows, which is why feed distribution is increased in this part of the building compared to areas further from the robots.
A structured start-up process
One of the key lessons concerns cow preparation before start-up. For several weeks, robots were used as feed dispensers before being activated for milking. As a result, on day one, cows were already voluntarily entering the units.
For Cyril, this adaptation phase was essential. He considers that at least three weeks are necessary, if not indispensable. It reduces stress, builds routine, and significantly improves the first days of robotic milking.
Fixed milking schedules disappear, weekends become easier to manage, and working time is reorganised.
Flexible work and data-driven management
Automation has brought real flexibility to daily work. Fixed milking schedules disappear, weekends become easier to manage, and working time is reorganised. However, the job does not disappear, it changes.
Every morning, Cyril starts by checking the dashboards: late cows, alerts, conductivity, production levels, number of milkings, and average visits. Data becomes a herd management tool, allowing quick identification of cows requiring attention, production drops, early-lactation cows, or animals that may need to be culled.
Maintenance: a key factor in performance
With equipment running 24/7, proximity to the BouMatic Loire Bretagne Elevage dealer is essential. Cyril emphasises this point: the family-run company responsible for maintenance is nearby, with technicians able to respond quickly. For him, this responsiveness is part of system reliability.
Maintenance is planned throughout the year. When possible, interventions are scheduled robot by robot, over two separate mornings, to avoid stopping full milking capacity at once. Once again, the goal is simple: maintain herd rhythm and prevent backlog.
Performance that is built, not imposed
This farm’s story shows that performance is not only about investing in robots. It comes from a coherent system:
- Suitable buildings
- A well-prepared transition
- Precise feeding management
- Daily data monitoring
- Close maintenance support
- A controlled milking herd size.
In just a few years, Cyril has transformed his farm into a more specialised, more productive, and more flexible system. But his approach remains balanced: technology is a lever, not an end in itself. True performance is measured by the ability to produce more efficiently, maintain herd balance, and improve farm income.