Dutch livestock equipment maker MS Schippers has released the MS Smart Cleaning Robot, an autonomous machine that cleans a barn from start to finish without a worker holding the lance, and will sell it in Canada, Farms.com reports. The robot won a Silver Innovation Award at EuroTier, the livestock trade show.
Barn cleaning is essential for animal health but is heavy, unpleasant work. The robot combines three stages that farm staff usually do separately: it sprays a chemical foam to loosen grease and protein residues, follows with high-pressure washing to remove dirt and manure, and finishes with disinfection, all in one automated sequence.
It finds its way with 3D LiDAR sensors that map passages, pens and obstacles in real time, so, according to the company, it needs no programming or floor markers before use and adapts to different barn layouts. A telescopic arm of 5.5 metres gives a total reach of 7 to 8 metres into deep pens, and nozzle pressure adjusts automatically to avoid damaging ceilings. Farmers can follow its progress on a smartphone app, and the housing is acid-resistant and rated IP69K.
The machine was developed and tested on commercial pig farms, where thorough sanitation limits disease pressure. MS Schippers says better hygiene can lower health risks and reduce the need for medication, and that taking people out of the barn during cleaning spares them chemical vapours, aerosols and spray-back.
"Automating the entire cleaning cycle gives livestock farmers back valuable time and protects their health," said Willem Pennings, technical lead at MS Schippers. The company pitches the robot at three pressures on modern livestock farms: shortage of labour, efficiency and biosecurity.
MS Schippers is a family business founded in 1966 and based in Hapert, the Netherlands; it sells in Canada through Schippers Canada Ltd. The story was written for Farms.com by Andrew Joseph.
Photo: Unknown author / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)
Source: Farms.com
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