From Pig Barn to Milking Parlor: Vestermark Agro Saves 11 Hours a Week with a Washing Robot

At Vestermark Agro, a dairy farm in Denmark, they have taken the next step to increase everyday efficiency. The farm has invested in a washing robot from Washpower – specifically a ProCleaner X100.

It is the first of its kind in a milking parlor, as the robot is usually best suited for a pig barn. Although the surroundings are different, the challenges in the milking parlor are comparable to pig barns: Time is money, and manual washing is a strenuous task.

Vestermark Agro is run by the brothers Jakob and Erik Sejersbøl. The idea of a robot actually arose several years ago, when the brothers discussed the possibility with Washpower’s co-owner and inventor, Jakob Søndergaard, as well as salesperson Morten Gramstrup. Time passed, but by a bit of coincidence, Jakob Sejersbøl ran into Morten again. The conversation was resumed, and a deal was made.

Now Vestermark Agro has had the robot for three months, and it has become an important member of the washing team. The robot is permanently installed in the milking parlor, where it finds its way through the facility using a steel wire that Vestermark Agro have installed themselves.

A Different Approach than in the Pig Barn

When the milking parlor needs washing, the process is a bit reversed compared to a pig barn. Whereas with pigs barns you typically start the robot first and then fine-wash manually, Vestermark Agro does the opposite.

Here, the staff first washes strategic places manually, after which they set the robot to handle the rest – especially the areas it is best at.
They wash three times a day, every day of the week. Typically, two men are on the task, and with the robot, they now save a total of about 30 minutes per wash. In a week, that adds up to a saving of 10-11 hours.

For Vestermark Agro, the technology is still new, and Jakob Sejersbøl believes there is potentially more time to be gained once they optimize the workflow. The goal is for an employee from the washing team to be sent on to other tasks faster.

Better Working Environment—Especially at Night

When the decision to invest in the robot had to be made, time savings were the primary factor, but the working environment also weighed heavily. The robot eases the work for the employees, who now spend less time on the physically demanding work it is to clean a barn like this.

Especially at night, the staff appreciates the washing robot, as they can let it finish the work while they go home.

 

Here the robot is seen in action, viewed from inside the milking stations. Although the robot has many blind spots, it still handles a significant part of the washing work on the walkway, the floor, and the milking clusters.

Easier to Keep the Barn Clean

All in all, both the brothers and the employees express great satisfaction. It has become easier to keep the barn clean compared to before the investment. There is always plenty to do on a dairy farm, and the washing robot is yet another tool to optimize time, increase productivity, and achieve more during a day.

Farmer Jakob Sejersbøl concludes:

“We were completely comfortable investing in this washing robot, as Washpower’s robots are well-known technology. We know what Washpower stands for, and we are really satisfied with the result it delivers.”