Cement second A4

Today we did cement under the second A4

the original plan was yesterday

but Robert had a baby boy yesterday

The cement guy was here when we build the addition 

couple years ago

always a heavy job

putting the mat in where the cow will stand

Monday they will push the second robot in

Walking track Listowel

I went for the first time to the arena in Listowel

It has a walking track

It's kind of cold outside

so quite a few people were going around the track

I hope to go more often, it's nice and close by

breaking up cement

the new robot is much smaller so the cows stand in a different place

making the hole for the manure grate

I hope it is deep enough

manure needs to float

Coming and Going

April 7 2010

exciting the robot arrives

February 5 2018

the robot leaves

Empty Bin

The bin needs to be empty so we can put a new sleeve on

and get it ready for 2 robots

we hoped it would empty at a convenient time

 but just is case, we got a skit of bags

last night at bed time we discovered it empty

not the most fun job is the freezing cold and wind

this morning put the rest in and fill some more bags

to make it until Monday morning

The A3 next is Out

Lifting over the curb is tricky

Rien comes in with the skid-steer 

very tight turn, the A3 next is way larger then the new A4

but we made it without having to take out posts

wheeling all the way to the back

another turn

hooking the pallet fork

into the bars on the top

Out she goes

The wall is Out

this morning the wall was taken out

tomorrow the left robot will move out

Winter Birds

Tomorrow they will come again to work in the barn

we currently have a break

so we post some birds

Cardinal Female quite colourful

woodpecker

Need to fill the feeder up

Black eyed Juno in the wind

We took the "owl sideroad" coming home from swimming

the owl was a bit far

zooming in helps

Start of the A4

so many people, and there were even more then the vehicles suggest

everything looks so new

feed in the trough, the black rectangle that says Lely gave us grief

it is the tag reader, it worked some of the time

if it hadn't worked at all we would have replaced it right away.

now we tried for a few hours

first cow in the new robot

we were to optimistic, thinking our cows are used to a robot

but everything smelled new and different noises

we needed help

on Days like this you need friends 

at 3AM all our 62 cows went through once

we went to bed and 

at 7 AM there had been 91 milkings

that was better then I anticipated

here you can see a whole bunch of cows waiting to get in

they are not separated, they can walk through the whole barn

cows like to be milked by a robot, they line up for it

some need to get over the change, but they will learn too

The big day

Yesterday was the day of the switch from the A3next 

to the A4

making a dry access to the new robot room

(very noisy for the cows)

auger for the feed is hooked up

All the new neck ties grouped together 

locked the cows so we could put them on

not easy to get the old ties off

temporary platform it will be cemented later

after the second robot is installed 

moving exit gates into place

we stopped milking around 11 AM