A milking pit concept allows operators to safely stand behind the cows while they are in the robots.
Future Dairies Gippsland, GEA’s east Gippsland dealer, has recently completed a significant robotic milking installation at Valencia Creek, marking another step forward for automatic milking systems (AMS) in the region.
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The dairy owners, Dennis and Erin Lomax, made the decision to invest in 10GEA R9500 Dairy Robots in April 2025.
Twelve months later, in April 2026, the first cows were milked through the system.
The new robotic dairy is currently milking around 530 cows, with plans already in place to increase numbers to more than 600 cows in the near future.
Prior to the upgrade, the herd was milked through a 50‑unit rotary, so moving to a fully voluntary milking system required an adjustment period for both cows and people.
As expected, the first few milkings involved some gentle guidance to help cows find their way into the robots.
The GEA R9500 robots are designed for full voluntary milking, allowing cows to choose when they are milked and fed.
One feature that stood out during start‑up was the milking pit concept, which allows operators to safely stand behind the cows while they are in the robots.
This made it easier to observe the process closely and assist with cupping in the early milkings where required.
Everyone involved in the start‑up was impressed by how quickly the cows adapted to the new system — and how fast the robots learned individual teat placement.
By the second day, cupping times had dropped significantly, and cows were noticeably calmer and more relaxed in the robots.
Targeted feed rations delivered during milking played a key role in encouraging cow flow and supporting a smooth transition, reinforcing positive cow behaviour from the outset.
Transitioning from conventional milking to robotics has allowed the owners to maintain cow comfort, milk quality and operational control.
From day one, the GEA system was actively managing milk quality. Any high‑conductivity (high cell count) milk and colostrum milk was automatically separated and directed to the calf milk tank.
The system also monitors milk at a quarter level, meaning individual quarters producing contaminated milk — such as blood‑tainted milk — can be automatically diverted to the calf tank or sent straight to waste, depending on the farm’s pre‑set system settings.
This level of control gives confidence around milk quality while reducing manual intervention.
With more cows planned to come online and the system now well settled, the Valencia Creek installation with pioneers like Dennis and Erin, highlight how large herds in Gippsland can successfully transition from conventional milking to robotics, while maintaining cow comfort, milk quality and operational control.
Call Future Dairies Gippsland dealership on 03 5147 2571 to start the conversation and map the best fit for your operation.
