A rotary dairy platform, reputed to be the most technologically advanced in the world, is now available for UK and Irish dairy farmers in a range of sizes, according to Waikato Milking Systems.
The Centrus Composite Rotary Platform is available in in 40, 50, 60 and 84 stall configurations, with its design and manufacture exclusive to the New Zealand based company.
The 84, 60 and 54 stall platforms were originally developed in response to demand from farmers for a platform with the size, strength and durability required by a global market where very large herds and 24/7 milking are commonplace, the dairy equipment manufacturer has said.
Grant Wisnewski, International Sales Manager for Waikato Milking Systems, said that since its introduction, however, demand has come from “from small family units right up to the large intensive 24/7 operations.”
The deck sections of Centrus Composite Rotary platforms are formed in a multi-layer process that includes Kevlar, according to Waikato Milking Systems, a material used in the construction of aircraft and international racing yachts.
“The decks are bonded together by a unique high-strength adhesive which, coincidentally, is used in wind turbines and military vehicles,” Wisnewski said.
The result is a platform which is 75% lighter and eight times stronger than concrete overcoming the wear and tear which traditional multi-tonne concrete decks place on platform support structures.
The weight to strength ratio is a logic which appeals to farmers and demand for the composite decks has grown around with the world and led to the company extending the range so there is a size for “every farmer”, according to Waikato.
The platforms have rubber matting underfoot for cow comfort while the composite deck surface is impervious to most chemicals and cow effluent, says the dairy equipment manufacturer.
Centrus Composite Rotary platforms are manufactured at Waikato Milking Systems’ global head office in Hamilton, New Zealand and shipped around the world.
“We are known for our customer and after sales service as much as we are for the quality of our products. We have an office and warehouse located in Wisconsin and a dedicated and growing dealer network across the US,” Wisnewski said.
The platform arrives on site accompanied by a specialist team who oversee the unloading, set-up and commissioning of every Centrus platform. Lasers are used to ensure the foundations and structure are perfectly true and precise.
“Our message to farmers is simple. No matter where you’re farming, how many cows you’re milking or the frequency of milkings, there’s a Centrus Composite Rotary platform which will out-perform and out-last anything else on the market,” Wisnewski said.
