Getting cows in and out of the parlour is seriously important. I’ll argue the milking parlour is probably the most important machine on any dairy farm but an important part of that job is getting cows in and out of it.

On average think of the time you spend in the parlour compared with the farm tractor. Most farmers spend at least three hours per day for 300 days of the year in the parlour. That’s 900 to 1,000 hours for most dairy farmers. I know many dairy farmers will spend double and treble those figures in parlour and more often than not they spend a good chunk of that time getting cows in and out. The average tractor is going for close to 600 hours on a busy dairy farm. So yes, it is important in terms of labour and work routine.

Spending too much time at milking reduces the hours in the day for everything else, but at the same time there is no point in rushing the milking job because that’s where the money is made. Hence you need a milking facility that is efficient and comfortable to allow you sustain the hours in the parlour while minimising repetitive strain injuries and optimising milk quality.

Most common mistakes

Down through the years on visits into parlours and dairy farms the most common mistake I hear is farmers giving out about how they built the parlour in the wrong place or they didn’t allow enough room in front or behind.

Modern buildings don’t put the dairy in front of the parlour, because, cow drafting works best when the cows are walking straight out of the parlour.

Similarly, modern parlours will keep the slurry tank or wash water collection tank away from behind the milking parlour so as not to limit future expansion possibilities.

Another option many farmers avail of is to build the shed and pit for a bigger number of units on day one but only install a smaller number of units, what they can realistically afford, or, enough given the current size of the herd.

A lot depends on what you have and where you want to go. Investing all your money or all your potential borrowing capacity in a fancy parlour and not being able to buy the 10 acres that come up for sale beside the parlour might not be a good business move. You might not get that opportunity to buy the land again.

Average Irish herd size is increasing and had been increasing even before milk quotas disappeared. If making an investment, don’t make the mistake many dairy farmers have made in the past and limit the future possibilities by putting a slurry tank right behind the parlour or a dairy in front. Leave plenty of room behind and in front for future expansion if required.

Consider cow flow in and out as much as the type of parlour that you need for your business. The selection of photos here shows a range of situations – some good, and some not so good.