{"id":5852,"date":"2025-09-16T06:00:31","date_gmt":"2025-09-16T06:00:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fullwood.com\/?post_type=story&p=5852"},"modified":"2025-09-17T11:24:17","modified_gmt":"2025-09-17T11:24:17","slug":"family-baarda","status":"publish","type":"story","link":"https:\/\/fullwood.com\/en\/stories\/family-baarda\/","title":{"rendered":"Family Baarda"},"content":{"rendered":"
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In 2015, Johannes Baarda took over his father\u2019s dairy farm. A perfect moment to switch to robotic milking. Ever since the family had moved nine years earlier to a location where they could keep more cows, the milking work kept piling up. Due to the physical strain alone, the farmer was eager to move to a robot. Together with his wife Tea, he explains why they chose the M\u00b2erlin milking robot from Fullwood, and what it has brought them over the past 10 years.<\/p>

Less labor, more time<\/h2>\n

According to Johannes and Tea, milking manually takes its toll on your body. \u201cBesides, it\u2019s a full-time task. You easily spend 4 hours a day on it. Since working with the M\u00b2erlin, we\u2019ve gained all that time back. Our daily routine looks completely different now. We can have breakfast with the kids and even sleep in on Sundays. And if there\u2019s a party in the evening, it\u2019s easy to go out. Very convenient.\u201d<\/p>\n

Higher milk production<\/h2>\n

\u201cOf course, a milking robot is an investment,\u201d Johannes continues. \u201cBut since the robot increases milk production \u2013 we now average 9,500 liters instead of 8,000 liters per cow per year \u2013 the costs are covered. It\u2019s really worth considering, especially when you keep in mind all the other benefits of the M\u00b2erlin.\u201d<\/p>\n

Johannes: \u201cOne of those benefits is that you can separate the cows immediately after milking, without the need for extra fencing. That was ideal for us, since we didn\u2019t have room for such fencing, and with most other robot brands back then it was unavoidable.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOver the past 10 years, Fullwood has continuously improved the robot,\u201d Johannes adds. \u201cUpgrades we could benefit from right away. For example, the feed troughs were reinforced and now only open for cows that are actually allowed to be milked. That makes the M\u00b2erlin even sturdier and more practical to use.\u201d<\/p>\n

Calm cows and healthy udders<\/h2>\n

Another thing Johannes finds remarkable about the M\u00b2erlin is how quiet the machine is. The cows become calm, and even new cows adapt peacefully. \u201cIn general, the whole concept of robotic milking is stress-free,\u201d Johannes and Tea explain. \u201cThey no longer have to be herded together for milking, they decide themselves when they want to be milked, and they can even stay in the cubicle a bit longer to ruminate. They really take that time, which makes for calmer animals. And that has a positive effect on their health.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOn top of that, software updates over the past decade have improved teat detection and pre-treatment,\u201d Johannes continues. \u201cThis makes milking smoother and keeps cow comfort high.\u201d<\/p>\n

What also supports cow health is the smart milking technique of the M\u00b2erlin. \u201cAt the start of milking, the cow wants to release a lot of milk,\u201d Johannes explains. \u201cThe Streampulse technology ensures a fast milk flow, which reduces residual milk in the udder. This benefits udder health and prevents callus formation on the teats.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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Quick detection<\/h2>\n

The milking process can reveal a lot of useful information. \u201cIf the robot fails to attach a teat (several times), it may indicate a problem,\u201d says Johannes. \u201cYou can also see it in the robot\u2019s values, such as a rise in conductivity.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAll in all, since we started using the robot, mastitis cases have been rare,\u201d Johannes adds. \u201cThe cows are milked more often and more thoroughly. We also use a teat spray for disinfection. Together, these measures greatly reduce the risk of mastitis.\u201d<\/p>\n

Monitoring health remotely<\/h2>\n

\u201cNot around? You can still follow the milking process via an app,\u201d Johannes continues. \u201cYou see which cow is being milked at that moment and how much more or less milk she produces. As a farmer, you focus on these percentages because they allow you to detect irregularities quickly and intervene in time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Over the past 10 years, major progress has been made here, Johannes emphasizes: \u201cThe improved software not only provides us with valuable data like conductivity and heat signals, but also presents it in a clear and structured way. That makes it easier to act early and monitor cow health effectively.\u201d<\/p>\n

Manual adjustments<\/h2>\n

On the robot\u2019s touchscreen, you can manage several settings. Johannes: \u201cOf course, everything runs automatically, but sometimes you want to intervene manually. For example, to give extra concentrates or to set the robot to retry attaching a specific teat. The advantage is that the robot can target just that one teat. If it can\u2019t find one teat, it doesn\u2019t release the others. That saves a lot of time.\u201d<\/p>\n

An excellent dealer<\/h2>\n

Johannes is very satisfied with the M\u00b2erlin from Fullwood \u2013 and with dealer Bosch HIT, who installed the robot in 2015 and still maintains it. \u201cOur dealer is simply excellent,\u201d says Johannes. \u201cThey think along with us and solve everything. Each person has their own specialization, and together they\u2019re strong. When we renovated, they even arranged a temporary milking parlor in the form of a truck. Fantastic.\u201d<\/p>\n

10 years of M\u00b2erlin: updates keep it like new<\/h2>\n

After 10 years of experience with the M\u00b2erlin, Johannes is convinced. \u201cA new robot is absolutely unnecessary. Thanks to regular updates, it stays just as modern as the newest models,\u201d he explains. \u201cDon\u2019t change what works. The M\u00b2erlin is solid, reliable, and keeps up with innovation. That gives us confidence to keep farming into the future.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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Want to know more?<\/h2>\n\t\t

Would you like to learn more about the possibilities of Fullwood milking robots? Contact your nearest dealer.\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t

Find my dealer<\/a><\/p>\n\t<\/div>\n\t

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