Introduction
The Milktech Drafting Gate, also knowing as ‘Auto Drafter’ was originally created by DTS, integrated into their ‘Herd-man’ software. Milktech NZ purchased the farm automation business from DTS, taking it over on the 1st November 2024.
The drafting gate is a hardware product that is installed on farm to help streamline and automate the cow drafting process. The system can be linked to either your phone (wireless communication) or an in-pit screen, allowing farmers to input cow numbers to draft, see what is going to be drafted, or see what has been drafted (this includes what has walked through the gate).
Having the gate on farm means a task that would have normally needed two people to perform, and cause stress to the cows, is now a task that does not require anyone to complete, only requiring cow data to be inputted in.
How it works
The Milktech Drafting Gate will be placed in the exit race of the cowshed, funnelling cows into a single file line as they walk through. The gate is equipped with an RFID reader, which will read the EID tags that are in the cow’s ear to figure out what cow is walking through the gate, and based on the inputted farmer data, will draft or not draft the cow.
The gate used pneumatic rams to control both shutter gates and drafting gates, allowing cows to be drafted or right, and making sure that only the required cow is drafted, and not cows behind that are not needed.
The gate then uses photo eyes (invisible, non-harmful lasers) which help ‘track’ the cow through the gate. When the cow walks between the photo eyes, the laser is broken, and the gate will make the decision to open the drafting gates (the cow is drafted into the required pen) or set the gate back to its default (straight through).
Gate Information
- Gate price: $38,000 + GST (as of March 2025) Includes:
- Automatic EID sorting
- Missing cow report
- Keypad for individual drafting
- 3-way drafting
- Monthly subscription: $101
- Wearable integration fee: $336 per annum charged monthly
- Option for a annual ‘Warrant of Fitness’ check: $200 max
- Drafts using EID tag (HDX only)
- App drafting
- Internet is required
- Integrates with Cow Wearables to have drafts set (Datamars, Halter, CowManager, Allflex)
Photo by Milkhub by Milktech NZ
Advantages/Disadvantages
Advantages:
- Rapid movement
- Quiet
- Drafts off EID
Disadvantages:
- No shutter gate
- No MINDA integration
- Cannot draft cows with missing EID tags
Additions needed that are not included
- Compressor
- Compressor airline to the gate
- Mains power to the gate
- Building modifications (out-of-scope engineering)
- Internet broadband connection
