NMR's milk sampling shuttle service is in high demand!

With 60% of all new milking parlours installed being Automatic Milking Systems (AMS) or robot parlours, NMR's milk recording service using shuttles is in high demand.  

Shuttles Manager Justin Frankfort recently reported that nearly 17,000 cows on the NMR database are regularly recorded using the NMR shuttle service. Like robotic parlours, shuttles can be used on every size of herd, in the case of NMR herds, from 35 to 652, the average being 163.

This service enables farms with a robotic parlour to take milk samples using an Ori 90 collector sample box.  Farms choose the level of service required and NMR provides the staff to set up and then collect the milk samples, and event data if required, to allow management decisions to be made based on sample data.

In July, the figure exceeded 22,000 cows! With 30% of these having  their samples tested using one of NMR’s Johne's surveillance packages.

This is a growing part of NMR’s business and, with the likelihood that more robotic parlours will be installed as dairy farmers struggle to find milking staff, NMR expects the fleet of shuttles to continue to grow over the coming years.

Farmers pay for the shuttles on a per use basis of £47.50 (ex VAT), with the herd sample and service charges then being added. If you know of a farmer who has installed an AMS recently or is planning to do so, and is concerned about their milk recording, simply direct them towards the shuttle page on our website National Milk Records | Robot Milking Shuttle Hire (nmr.co.uk). There they'll be able to find a link to the ICAR approved Shuttle and AMS combinations too