053-0122OET Voluntary/Automatic Dairy Milking System

Agri-EPI Centre (AEC) is seeking bids from qualified and experienced suppliers who can provide voluntary/automatic milking system to operate at Agri-EPI's South West Dairy Development Centre (SWDDC) which is located at Shepton Mallet BA4 6SS. The principal purpose of the SWDDC is to enable research and demonstration of novel ideas, techniques and environmental issues within dairy farming that will encourage innovation in UK dairy production. Summary of Requirements The awarded supplier will provide a voluntary / automatic miking system (VMS/AMS) for a newly established herd of ~180 cows. The installation would be in a pre-existing AMS shed of novel design, but there would be some scope for adjustments to the shed to accommodate a new design of system. A key component of the system is precision grazing cows so the shed design must reflect this and include automated sorting gates. A building map is included in this tender but more detailed building drawings can be supplied if required. The number of VMS/AMS units to be provided can be specified by the provider as long as they fit within the system and optimise the numbers of cows that can be kept in the herd. The units provided must be the most up to date models from the company and provide the optimum system for both commercial and research work. Please also refer to Appendix A for any additional guidance re layout etc to assist in bid response. The units provided must include herd management software and allow access for data collection for research purposes. Integration of novel sensor technologies is a core component of the work conducted at the SWDDC and data access and a collaborative approach is essential for this research and the suppliers policy on this must be addressed in the tender. All and any data generated by the system will be the exclusive ownership of AEC and as such no permission, rights, licences or otherwise are implied or conferred to the supplier to retain and utilise such data in any way without the express permission in writing of AEC.