This class action concerns robotic or voluntary milking systems (VMSs) from DeLaval, Inc. and related American and European companies. The complaint alleges that the DeLaval VMS V300 is defective, does not do what it is advertised to do, and “cannot meet the industry standards for producing Grade A milk.”
A class and two subclasses have been defined for this action:
- The Nationwide Class is all persons who bought, financed, leased, or rented a V300.
- The Direct Purchaser Subclass is all persons who bought, financed, leased, or rented a V300 under a DeLaval Sales Agreement.
- The Minnesota Subclass is all persons who are residents of Minnesota and who bought, financed, leased, or rented a V300.
The first version of DeLaval’s VMS was the Classic, released in the US in 2007. The complaint alleges that this version was defective and cites an earlier case on the subject. The V300 was released in the US in 2018, and the complaint alleges that it was meant to be an upgrade over the Classic, but that “nearly all of the defects present in the Classic remained in the V300.”
DeLaval, it says, designed, made, sold, and installed the systems, which are meant to reduce the work required with conventional ways of milking. Farmers spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on these machines, the complaint claims, and spent additional money to expand, retrofit, or build barns to accommodate them.
The V300 was meant to perform three tasks, the complaint alleges: “(1) wash with a sanitizing solution, fore-strip and dry each lactating teat before milking; (2) completely milk each lactating quarter in a manner that prevents contamination of milk and milking equipment; and (3) post-spray teat disinfectant on each teat after milking.” However, the complaint claims that the V300 was not able to properly perform these tasks or perform them to industry standards.
For example, the complaint alleges that the system is not capable of washing with a sanitizing solution, fore-striping and drying each lactating teat: “As a result excessive bacteria will enter and contaminate the milk supply” and affects animal health, while other problems “permit milk extracted from teats to which the teat cleaning cup was not applied to travel through the milk line and enter the bulk tank, where it contaminates the milk ultimately sold…”
The complaint makes allegations about similar problems with the other two functions the V300 is supposed to perform.
According to the complaint, given its defects, “the V300 cannot meet the industry standards for producing Grade A milk.”
The complaint alleges that DeLaval concealed the existence of these defects from farmers when selling the V300 system. It also claims DeLaval has not lived up to its obligations of repairing or replacing defective parts of the systems.
Farmers that continue to work with the V300 are dependent on DeLaval for parts and servicing, the complaint alleges, and are thus tied to DeLaval unless they are willing to spend a large amount of money to change to another milking system.
Article Type: LawsuitTopic: Contract
Most Recent Case Event
DeLaval V300 Defective Voluntary Milking System Complaint
May 9, 2022
This class action concerns robotic or voluntary milking systems (VMSs) from DeLaval, Inc. and related American and European companies. The complaint alleges that the DeLaval VMS V300 is defective, does not do what it is advertised to do, and “cannot meet the industry standards for producing Grade A milk.”
DeLaval V300 Defective Voluntary Milking System ComplaintCase Event History
DeLaval V300 Defective Voluntary Milking System Complaint
May 9, 2022
This class action concerns robotic or voluntary milking systems (VMSs) from DeLaval, Inc. and related American and European companies. The complaint alleges that the DeLaval VMS V300 is defective, does not do what it is advertised to do, and “cannot meet the industry standards for producing Grade A milk.”
DeLaval V300 Defective Voluntary Milking System Complaint