Bearing in mind that dairy farmers and their workers spend 57 per cent of their time ‘in the shed', it's amazing what a few tweaks can do to improve things and reduce time and effort.

DairyNZ's Milk Smart programme focused on cow flow and cow behaviour, with most sessions fully booked. I joined the crowd at an Orini farm where they milk 720 in two herds through a 50 bail rotary.

The first session was taken by Neil Chesterton, an Inglewood vet with huge enthusiasm and a lameness phobia. We looked at race width, camber, surface quality and composition, corners and fencing. Neil explained a number of contractors insist on too much camber for cow comfort, which results in cows avoiding the sides and crowding down the centre of a race. While drainage is important, camber should be no more than eight per cent, measured using a float level and a tape to work out depth from horizontal.

No electric fences at entry
Electric fences should stop about 20m before the yard is reached, to allow for any crowding at that point.

We looked at the junction between race and concrete and discussed whether this would slow cows up and how much gravel might get transferred to the yard. The size of yard for a herd (allowing cows to move to their own milking order once in) and whether the surface and slope might see cows fall.

Neil revealed where there is a steep difference between the race and the yard (which is generally built higher for drainage), cows will walk up broad concrete steps with confidence (riser about 10cm), although those laying the concrete won't be so enthused. Also, square nibs at junctions are safer than rounds, which often cause slipping.

Backing gate layout
Aiden Bichan, an advisor from the Wairarapa, then discussed the operation of backing gates and layout at the bridge. Backing gates are not meant to push cows, but rather to reduce the space for cows to drift about and not focus on getting into the shed. Some form of noise warning when the gate is to be moved allows cows to prepare for it and the speed of the gate should be no more than 1m/5sec in a round yard at outer edge and 0.5m/5sec in a rectangular yard.

The shape and width of the bridge entry should preclude two cows trying to stand side by side and the area should have no protruding rail ends or latches to injure them. Any operator squeeze space should be away from the bridge entry, as cows will back off if confronted face to face. The back off and turn space on a rotary should have a non-slip floor and no projections to damage hips etcetera.

Breast rails in front of feed troughs in sheds should be low enough to allow the cows easy access to dry feed. Recommended widths and heights for rails in both rotary and herringbone sheds, can make a real difference to cow flow and exit gates must swing high enough to allow free flow of cows. Bruce Eyers, the Animal Husbandry expert from DairyNZ looked at people behaviour during milking. With a staff turnover of dairy workers of about 3000 a year at a cost of 150 per cent of annual salary for each change, making sure staff know what policies and procedures are wanted can have huge benefits.

No free rides
Bruce says a cow flow system which ensures every bail is full at every round and there are no cows free-riding has been proven to reduce milking times on an average herd by 30 minutes straight away. Other tweaks to the flow can increase milk harvest and increase productivity and profit. A shed which is pleasant to work in, for both cows and people, is more effective and many tweaks have little or no cost.

Cows have a wider range of vision than humans, but are more limited on vertical vision. Their hearing is not so specific, but covers a wider area, so sudden noises are more difficult for them to accurately trace. Their most sensitive skill is that of smell; smells emanating from up to 8km away can spook them. Cortisol excreted in urine of fearful cows can be picked up from great distances and transmit into frightened behaviour by many others. Understanding their reactions can make big differences in the milking experience.

DairyNZ has produced excellent handout material which allows farmers to measure each feature on their own farms and in their own sheds.