More than 10,000 pipefeeders in use

Over 10,000 PipeFeeders manufactured by Dutch company Hanskamp are now in use on dairy farms to ensure cows quietly and quickly release their milk, writes Rodney Magowan.
By The Newsroom
Published 17th Mar 2017, 09:00 BST
Updated 24th Mar 2017, 11:05 BST
In the new herringbone milking parlour equipped with PipeFeeders are, from left, dairy farmer Freek van Leeuwen with Hanskamp engineer Bart Pennings alongside Frank Verbeij and Ton van Leeuwen from dairy equipment dealer Van Leeuwen Mechanisatie.In the new herringbone milking parlour equipped with PipeFeeders are, from left, dairy farmer Freek van Leeuwen with Hanskamp engineer Bart Pennings alongside Frank Verbeij and Ton van Leeuwen from dairy equipment dealer Van Leeuwen Mechanisatie.
In the new herringbone milking parlour equipped with PipeFeeders are, from left, dairy farmer Freek van Leeuwen with Hanskamp engineer Bart Pennings alongside Frank Verbeij and Ton van Leeuwen from dairy equipment dealer Van Leeuwen Mechanisatie.

Celebrating the installation of the 10,000th PipeFeeder Henk Hanskamp and engineer Bart Pennings recalled how six years ago they saw the need to make massive practical improvements to in-parlour feeding.

“The challenge was to design a concentrate dispenser that would put in-parlour feeding back on the map,” Henk said.

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“It needed to have a low drop height to prevent dust and noise plus anti-spill features.

The 10000th PipeFeeder from innovative Dutch manufacturer Hanskamp was installed in the van Leeuwen familys new 2X6 30 degree milking parlour.The 10000th PipeFeeder from innovative Dutch manufacturer Hanskamp was installed in the van Leeuwen familys new 2X6 30 degree milking parlour.
The 10000th PipeFeeder from innovative Dutch manufacturer Hanskamp was installed in the van Leeuwen familys new 2X6 30 degree milking parlour.

“Our practical solution was the PipeFeeder designed to release small portions of concentrate quietly to each cow throughout her milking time.

“This keeps cows quietly focused on the feed trough and in-parlour feeding promotes a peak in their oxytocin levels thus improving milk let down.

“As farmers using the PipeFeeder in 18 countries have proven this in-parlour system reduces noise and dust, speeds up milking and dramatically reduces concentrate waste.”

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The 10,0000th Hanskamp PipeFeeder was installed in a new 60 cow dairy unit on the family farm of Theo van Leeuwen at Zoeterwoude in the coastal South Holland province of the Netherlands.

PipeFeeder is the practical answer to effective in-parlour feeding and suits all makes of parlour and robotsPipeFeeder is the practical answer to effective in-parlour feeding and suits all makes of parlour and robots
PipeFeeder is the practical answer to effective in-parlour feeding and suits all makes of parlour and robots

This is one of the world’s most densely populated regions where Theo, in partnership with son Freek and daughter in law Nicole, runs an organic herd and their own cheese factory.

The van Leeuwen’s new dairy unit has a 2X6 30 degree herringbone parlour equipped with Hanskamp MultiFrames and PipeFeeders

Theo had no hesitation in opting for PipeFeeder in-parlour feeders as cows know they get their concentrates at a fixed time, which improves grazing.

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“In our previous dairy unit the old in-parlour feeders were noisy and a lot of feed was wasted or cows got too much. Either way money was wasted.

“With Hanskamp PipeFeeders installed feeding is precise and being a closed system dust is not an issue plus feed is kept free from contamination.

“Cows are more content, more productive and milking in a quiet parlour is a pleasure.

“In this past month since switching to PipeFeeders cows have become more productive, enter the parlour easily and our workload is reducing.”

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For further information on PipeFeeders and to locate your local dealer e mail: [email protected], phone; 0031 314 - 393 797 or browse www.hanskamp.nl/en.

Hanskamp PipeFeeders are practically designed to suit all types of parlour and robot milkers.