Hygiene Station
New standard of hygiene for calf feeders
Save time with useful features. The learning function and the quick-release teat fastener make your work easier.
The animal weighing scales save feed costs through weight-controlled feeding, making it easier to monitor your calves.
Healthy calves through the highest standards of
hygiene. Teat cleaning and tray rinsing guarantee low bacterial concentration.
Focus on the calf
So far we have learnt that the CalfExpert always mixes freshly, according to individual calf needs at the right temperature. It goes without saying that the CalfExpert cleans all tubes automatically as well. However: the place where the calf drinks the milk is woefully neglected where conventional calf feeders are used. This is the reason why many vets fear the transmission of illnesses at the teat. Here, the HygieneStation from Holm & Laue is setting THE new benchmark, not only in terms of hygiene but also by making work easier.
Ideal calf health
Do you know where the highest germ count can be found in the calf box? Exactly! Where all the calves come to drink their milk several times a day. The HygieneStation now ensures cleanliness.
A clean teat at all times
With the new HygieneStation, the teat is cleaned from the outside with pressure and fresh water after every visit. Bacterial contamination on the teat accordingly drops by 80 %.
Cleaned saliva tray
Every calf produces saliva when drinking. With the HygieneStation this is collected together with the cleaning water of the teat in a mucus bowl and washed away after each feeding process. This means that the floor area within the feeding station stays clean and dry.
Natural drinking approach
The teat at the feeding station is positioned so that it slants downwards in a similar way to the teats on the suckler cow. This encourages the natural drinking position of the calf. When the head is stretched, this encourages the natural reflex of the oesophageal groove and reduces the risk of milk passing into the rumen.
LED teat lighting
Practice has shown that the calves can orientate better when the teat is illuminated. Milk consumption increases at night and the feeding processes are distributed more evenly over a 24-hour period.
Reduced workload
For many dairy farmers, a reduced workload is one big argument in favour of calf feeders. The new HygieneStation now makes the work that still has to be done significantly easier.
Calves teach themselves
As soon as a calf lifts the teat, a small amount of milk flows into its mouth. This stimulates the calf’s initial drinking impulse; manual learning is necessary in only exceptional cases. Should manual learning still be necessary, milk can be pumped into the teat by pressing a key. Can be tilted to clean Many feeding stations are installed directly in the pens. The HygieneStation can be tipped forward at a 90° angle so that manure can be removed and the whole area can easily be cleaned with the use of a tractor.
Quick-release teat fastener
The teat can easily be changed in no time thanks to a quick-re- lease fastener.
Milk pump valve
The possibility of triggering extra mixes at the CalfExpert is a great advantage if the milk can be run off conveniently straight into a bucket. At the milk pump valve you can decide whether a calf is to be fed in the station or the milk is to be pumped straight into a feeding bucket.
Control according to weight
All dairy farmers wants their calves to gain plenty of weight.
Yet weighing calves is strenuous and requires a lot of discipline. An animal weighing scale at the HygieneStation collects important information almost in passing.
Individual weaning
The CalfExpert records the daily growth of calves using the forefoot weighing scales. Calves that grow quickly can start feeding concentrate and hay at an early age and can thus be weaned off milk early on the basis of their individual weight development. This supports the development into a ruminant and saves money.
Better control
The animal weighing scales not only detect growing calves, they also register a decline in growth. This information is used to keep separate alert lists and helps identify sick calves at an early stage. Thus they can often be treated before the illness reaches a serious stage.
Weight information makes selection possible
At the end of rearing, you obtain valuable information about the development of each individual calf. This will help you make important decisions about which female calves should supplement your herd of dairy cows and which animals should be sold due to poor growth. Please also read the technical article on this topic on page 90.
Useful features
When you are in the pen, during animal training for example, you often wish you could take a quick look at the feeder display. This wish has now been granted thanks to the new display on the HygieneStation.
HygieneStation display
Mounted directly on the HygieneStation or even on the wall, the HS display indicates relevant information about the calf in the calf group. The calf number is displayed in very large digits, making it very easy to read, even from a distance.
Credit and alarm status
At the push of a button you can also have the calf numbers of the credit or alert list displayed sequentially. This means it is no longer necessary to move constantly between the calfpen and the CalfExpert display. You can read off the remaining quantity conveniently and estimate how much longer the
current visit is going to take. The alert status is also easy to recognise on the basis of a scale.
Lockable HygieneStation
There are calves that tend to suck one another. Although the entire functional principle of the CalfExpert and HygieneStation is designed to prevent this, it can sometimes be helpful to lock the animals in while they are feeding at the station so that they can feed in peace. The lockable door works pneumatically and needs a compressed air connection at the HygieneStation.
Options and features
CalfExpert basic configuration
- PowerMixer
- Milk freshly prepared on an individual basis for each animal
- CalfExpert feeding software with integrated operating instructions and help functions
- 7′′ graphic display with SmartKeys
- 8 feeding curves pre-set (including metabolic feeding curve), with adaptation possibilities for individual animals
- Rinsing of mixing tank and suction line
- Two detergent pumps for the automatic cleaning of all milk-carrying components with automatic empty message
- Wash temperature up to 65 °C
- Easy-to-clean surfaces made of stainless steel or plastic
- Powder store for 50 kg of CMR with only 112 cm fi lling height
- Powerful powder-conveying auger suitable for various CMRs
- Early empty warning for milk replacer powder
- Automatic registration of new calves
- Flextime feeding capabilities, to avoid stressful regular feeding hours
- QuickChange logic for faster credit changeover between the calves
- Up to 250 calves’ data in memory
- Anti-freeze program that is activated automatically
- Fly shield supplied in the standard model
- Wi-Fi as standard in the calf feeder
- CalfGuide app
CalfExpert optional extras
- Second PowerMixer
- QuadroFlex (feed 4 calves simultaneously)
- Additional dosing unit
- Second powder chamber
- Powder chamber extension
- Whole milk diet option
- DoubleJug milk tank
- AmmoniaDetect
CalfExpert technical specifications*
| Power supply and heating performance | 400 V 16 A (6 kW) or 230 V16 A (3 kW) |
| Capacity with 4 feeder stations | up to 100 calves (up to 150 calves in certain cases) |
| Identification system | Multireader HDX and FDX |
| Storage tank for milk replacer powder | 90 l / 50 kg |
| Powder filling height | 1.12 m |
| Boiler capacity | 12 l |
| Dimensions of CalfExpert | 0.6 x 0.7 x 1.21 m |
| Space requirement for CalfExpert | 1 x 1 m |
Comparison of the two HygieneStations
HygieneStation Standard
HygieneStation HeavyDuty
| Typical field of application | Rearing dairy calves | Rearing calves for fattening |
| Dimensions (LxWxH) | 1.31 x 0.47 x 1.00–1.15 m | 1.54 x 0.60 x 1.10-1.25 m |
| Interior width | 27–36 cm | 37-50 cm |
| Number of stations per CalfExpert | Four | Four |
| Animal recognition via H&L collars or ISO ear tags | Half and full duplex | Half and full duplex |
| Anti-pirate milk valve to prevent milk theft | yes | yes |
| Quick-release teat fastener | yes | yes |
| Milk transport to the teat | yes | yes |
| Learning aid (milk to mouth) | Automatic and manual | Manual only |
| Standing distance to the CalfExpert feeder | Up to 7 m | Up to 7 m |
| Height adjustable | yes | yes |
| LED teat lighting | yes | no |
| Temperature sensor for frost protection | yes | yes |
| Teat rinsing | Optional extras | Standard option |
| QuadroFlex (4 calves can feed) | Optional extras | Optional extras |
| HygieneStation display | Optional extras | Optional extras |
| Saliva tray | yes | no |
| Can be folded away when mucking out | yes | no |
| Tilt safety device | Optional extras | Not required |
| Animal weighing scales | Optional extras | no |
| Lockable station | Optional extras | no |
| Milk pump valve | Optional extras | no |
| Weight fully equipped | Approx. 50 kg | Approx. 90 kg |