Investment in innovation and modern day technology is a bold venture but it is something that has paid off for the Davidsons – Brian and son, Craig – who are reaping the benefits of the renovation of their dairy unit at Errolston, near Gretna.

With the aim of improving productivity and health, Craig and his father, Brian, invested in the construction of two new stock sheds to help modernise their operation, as well as introduce a robotic milking system, a new silage pit and slurry lagoon to cater for their well-known Errolston pedigree Holstein herd.

“We moved to Errolston in 1980, which was set up like a greenfield site and built by the farm’s previous owner during the mid-1970s. We added the odd shed along the way but never invested in any major updated housing as it did the job for us at the time,” commented Craig, with his 350-milking herd boasting a rolling herd average of 11,500 litres at 4.1% BF and 3.25% P.

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“The old buildings were getting out of date and they weren’t going to last forever. Another factor was that the modern day dairy cow is a lot bigger and so ultimately needs more space – we had issues with narrow cubicle passages and beds being short so it was time for a change.”

The new unit comprises two separate symmetrical sheds, the first measuring 115m x 21m x 6.35m high, which is split in half with 120 cubicles and two DeLaval robots in each section – located in the middle of the shed.

The second shed is half the length of the first, at 60m x 21m x 6.35m high and has cubicles for 60 milkers with access to one DeLaval robot, as well housing for calving and dry cows too. The new build was designed by the father and son team with the help of the Dutch company, CowSignals, and fabricated by Robinsons, based at Lockerbie.

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“Robinsons provided competitive prices and after viewing some of their previous work on other farms, we were happy with the quality and decided that they were the team for us. They provided a great service – very professional and easy to work with, as well as being able to help us resolve practical building issues in the project due to their experience,” Craig explained.

“We relied on the knowledge and expertise of CowSignals, who were responsible for designing the sand handling system at Woodhead Farm, in Annan. We were only going to be making a massive investment like this once, so we wanted the input of the specialists to make sure that all the details were correct, and that our cubicles and ventilation design suited our system.”

“We chose not to put any cladding around the shed as we wanted it to be as ventilated as possible to reduce disease spread” he added.

With the right advice and a clear image in mind of what the new dairy unit would look like, the Davidsons were certain that their new enterprise would see away with their old Herringbone 14 x 28 parlour and welcome modern day technology in the form of robots.

“We have always been blessed with reliable and hardworking staff throughout the years, however, we were making the decision about robots around the same time as the Brexit vote and were concerned about the future staffing problem we may occur. We had heard other farmers complaining about staff shortages, so from a labour point of view we made the move into robots,” Craig stated.

“At that time, robots had just started becoming popular in dairy farms and others were getting on well with them. Since the move, we have found them okay but we have had a few challenges along the way, which are not specific to robots but more to do the change in environment for our cattle. The new concrete has been sore on the cows feet, so we have experienced a few lameness issues and if cows are lame then they won’t want to walk into the robots.

“Cows need to be on top form and mobile to work properly, as well as needing to be willing and able to visit the robot. It has taken time for us all to get used to a new routine as we were milking twice a day but due to the robots running 24/7, problems can occur throughout the day or night.

"We were warned that it wasn’t unexpected to experience teething problems in the first year with the robots, however we are getting there slowly,” said Craig.

For a dairy unit, cow comfort is one of the most important aspects, which is something that Craig believed had dramatically improved with the introduction of sand bedding from Hoddam Contracting Co, in Ecclefechan. With the old cubicles at Errolston measuring 3.9ft wide and proving problematic for the bigger cattle in the herd, Craig increased the cubicle width to 4ft with cattle being bedded down on sand to not only improve comfort, but also herd health.

“I worked for Cogent a few years ago and had the opportunity to travel around other herds and one of the design features I picked up on was the use of sand bedding. The cattle on these farms seemed to be living longer with good legs and feet, as well as looking healthier with reduced mastitis problems,” explained Craig.

“The introduction of sand was non-negotiable for me. The old mattresses, sawdust and lime system had to go and the sand has definitely paid off. The cows are far more comfy and lie happily, as well as there being a reduction in hock lesions as the cattle are lying on a softer surface and they are cleaner too."

The move to sand has also resulted in a reduced amount of slippage issues and cattle going down.

“The sand on the cows' feet gives them a bit of grip and we haven’t had a single cow go down, which is a big bonus,” Craig stated.

Automatic scrapers have been altered too, moving away from chained to a rope variety as they are more suited to a sand environment.

“Before the move into robots, we would scrape out the sheds whilst the cattle were being milked, however, with the introduction of the robots and cattle being present in the shed 24/7, the automatic scrapers are a must have,” commented Craig.

“I would say that the sand is proving a weakness when it comes to the scrapers due to it’s aggressive nature. We suspect that the sand is wearing the scrapers and having an impact on their performance but it is something we will look to improve in the long run.”

With an increase in cattle numbers on the horizon, the Davidson’s installed a new slurry lagoon located at the back of the sheds, which is easily accessible and out of the way.

The new system comprises a shuttered slurry store with a sand separator divide, which is fitted with a channel, pipe, return pipes for the flush system, steel walkway and slats too, whilst also being able to hold up to six months worth of storage.

At the centre of the larger dairy shed is the Davidsons' new handling area, fitted out with a foot trimming crush and collecting pen to allow for easy handling during health checks and treatments.

There is no doubt a huge amount of effort and time has gone into improving Errolston’s new dairy unit, but it is an investment that has ultimately proved successful for the family and their cattle.

“With the new shed being able to house more cattle and the robots being able to handle a larger herd, we are looking to be building up our stock numbers to 350 adults and 350 young stock next year. It’s a project that took a lot of planning, but certainly one that is paying off for us,” he concluded.

Farm facts:

Family – Errolston Farm is located in Gretna and has been home to the Davidson family for the past 40 years. The farm is currently managed by Brian in partnership with his son, Craig.

Acreage – 500 acres altogether comprising 70 acres of arable crop and the remainder being grass.

Livestock – The farm is home to 350 adult Holstein cows and 300 young stock.