16 May 2025 K-flow: optimal flexibility in the layout of your barn

Are you planning your barn layout? If so, you’ll know it takes quite a bit of thought to make sure that everything is in the right place. If you work with one or more milking robots, you want your cows to be able to find them easily and for the route they take to be logical and efficient. If you choose the M²erlin milking robot from Fullwood, you have the advantage of K-flow, which gives you great flexibility in the positioning of the robots. How that works? M²erlin product specialist Jan van de Wetering explains.

K-flow: two entrances and exits

Most milking robots have one type of entrance and exit. You often have the choice of either straight entry and exit or entry and exit from the side. The M²erlin from Fullwood offers no fewer than two entry gates and two exit gates at the front, back and side. ‘Exactly in the shape of the letter K,’ Jan explains. ‘That’s why we call it K-flow.’

‘You don’t have to use both entrances and exits,’ Jan continues. ‘But the fact that you can is a huge advantage. Especially if you have limited barn space and you want to place multiple robots.’

The right layout

During the sales process, our dealers spend a lot of time determining the best positioning of the milking robots. ‘How successful you are with robotic milking depends largely on this,’ says Jan. ‘The cows must be comfortable in the new layout and have enough room to move around. That also applies in the waiting area. It’s nice, for example, if cows lower in the hierarchy can step aside when a stronger and bolder cow approaches. With K-flow, you create that space.’

‘So the space around the robots is very important. If you want things to run smoothly in the barn, it is essential that the robots are properly positioned and that the cows feel they have enough space to get in and out easily. In one situation, you may prefer to place the robots in line with each other, using only the straight entrances and exits. In another situation, you may prefer to place the robots side by side, at an angle or perpendicular to each other. With K-flow, you have the full range of choices.’

In the checkout format, you can clearly see what is possible with K-flow. In this, the M²erlins are arranged side by side. Cows enter through the straight entrance and exit through the straight exit. The compact arrangement allows you to make maximum use of the available space. Moreover, you always keep the milked and waiting cows apart. This helps cows that are lower in the hierarchy to remain calm. In addition, this arrangement offers many possibilities for separation, for example toward the pasture and straw bedding area.

Separating without additional fencing

Do you want to separate your cows? For example, if they have just calved, are in calf, need hoof trimming or insemination, or if you want to keep an extra close eye on them for some other reason? In such cases, you would normally need extra fences, and thus extra space. Jan: ‘If you use the M²erlin milking robot, there is no need to install additional fencing thanks to the K-flow solution. You can use the robot itself as a means of separation.’

‘You allow the herd to use only the side entrances and exits, while the cows lying on the straw use only the straight entrances and exits,’ Jan explains. ‘That way, you can keep the two groups separate, but still milk them in the same robot.’

‘You can also set times,’ Jan continues, ‘so that, after milking, cows automatically go to the pasture via the straight exit after 5.00 am, for example. If they come before that time, only the side exit opens, so they simply return to the barn after milking. From 4.00 pm onwards, you reverse the process. The extra entrances and exits that K-flow offers you are ideal for this purpose. You just have to set it up once and you don’t need to give it another thought.’

What is the best layout for you?

How you arrange your barn depends on the space available and how many robots you want to place. Many different layouts are possible. The beauty of K-flow is that you have the full range of choices. It also provides more flexibility in the method of separation. Are you curious about the best layout in your situation? Our dealers would be happy to advise you. You can find a dealer near you here.