Carousel feeding

Article published in Maskinbladet
9. januar 2004
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Robot feeding optimises production.

Three star news at Agromek challenges the traditional feeding of pigs. Robot feeding of porker carries with it truly great perspectives according to pig-breeding consultant from Thisted.

Porker
Individual feeding of porker in large flocks is a so-called anachronism. In other words a contradiction in terms and something which pr. definition is not durable. Only Storm P would have imagined something like this.
Storm P. is dead now but the inventor Jesper Kristoffer Larsen from Daugaard has already implemented this system in the real world. Until now the feeding system has earned him 3 stars on Agromek.
For now robot feeding of porker is fairly unknown. But the perspectives are so much greater that a pig breeding consultant from Thy Landøkomomiske Selskab, Liselotte Shousboe-Madsen urges to take the concept seriously.
The perspectives are in my opinion so big that our farmers deserves that the system is explored.

Saved feeding expenses
Liselotte Skousboe-Madsen has made some calculations. She estimates that farmers can reduce their feeding expenses with 10 - 20 percent. Figures, which really has an impact on the production economy.
A qualified estimate is a 10 percent reduction but 20 percent is not unrealistic says the consultant from Thy.
And the system is not even fully developed yet and therefore other benefits could emerge and change the picture, says Liselotte Skousboe-Madsen. She makes a reservation on the technical side of the system, which she will not assess. But the robot itself was earlier on tested at Bygholm Research Centre in Horsens.

75 DKK more per pig
Liselotte Schousboe-Madsen herself was somewhat surprised when she saw the result of her calculations. Actually the result of her calculations was a surplus of DKK 80 to the farmer but a conservative estimate would be a surplus of DKK 70 - 75 per porker.
The timely delivery to the slaughterhouse, where the slaughter weight is controlled in order to be as close to 80 kilo as possible contributes alone with a surplus of DKK 22 per porker when the additional fodder has been paid.
The delivery takes place automatically in the pre-programmed robot that separates the porker out into the delivery point just in time. Tabree “Just in Time” is in fact the name of the robot concept or rather the pig house concept.

Halving the working hours
Liselotte Shousboe-Madsen reckons that the working hours in the pig house can be reduced from 8 minutes per animal to 4 minutes pr. animal using robot feeding.
The improvement of the working environment is something the pig-breeding consultant finds important.  In addition hereto the system will also lead to improved animal welfare. In other words an improved environment for both man and animal.

By journalist Jens Gron Pedersen