Cow shed with automatic feeding and milking stations using computer-aided simulation to plan layout and scale of equipment

摘要

An algorithmic approach to computer-aided simulation is used to optimise the design of the shed. The shed contains individual stalls (2) and a passage (3) leading to feeding troughs (4). Water troughs (5,6,7) are provided. There are automatic supplementary feeding stations (8,9,10), two of which contain milk robots (11,12). Cows can be brought in at fixed times for milking or they can themselves choose when to be milked, day or night, depending on their own biological clocks or herd instincts.