Factors affecting energy efficiency in herringbone and rotary milking parlours

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals aim to double the productivity of small-medium food producers (2015–2030), while food demand is estimated to increase by 60 % by 2050. The objectives of this paper were to identify and quantify the relationship between energy efficiency and milking efficiency, identify the main energy consuming processes associated with milking, and investigate whether milking efficiency, energy efficiency or the relationship between them varies depending on parlour type. Energy and milking efficiency data from 26 pasture-based dairy farms in the Republic of Ireland were analysed (17 herringbone, nine rotary). Energy consumption was monitored continuously on the herringbone farms and for two distinct, seven-day periods (observation periods 1 and 2) for the rotary farms. Milking performance was monitored for all 26 farms during these periods. During the observation periods, the rotary farms achieved superior energy efficiency (29.85 Wh kg(Milk)(−1)) and milking efficiency (152 cows/hour) than the herringbone farms (32.83 Wh kg(Milk)(−1), 97 cows/hour). Moderate correlations existed between milking efficiency (cows/hour) and energy efficiency (Wh kg(Milk)(−1)) for rotary (r = −0.58, R(2) = 0.34) and herringbone (r = −0.44, R(2) = 0.19). These results indicated that higher levels of milking efficiency were moderately correlated with improved energy efficiency.