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Livestock Systems
- Robotic Dairy Milking Systems - 
The automatic milking system is designed to allow cows to choose how often they are milked each day. A computer identifies the cow, usually by an electronic tag, and determines if the cow is to be milked. Once a cow has been approved for milking and enters the milking stall, an electronic feeder dispenses feed while the side-opening gate closes. The robotic system cleans the teats, and sophisticated laser technology tells the teatcups exactly where the teats are located. The system removes the fore milk from each quarter and measures milk flow from each teat. Vacuum is shut off when milk flow drops below a preset level. Once milking is completed, all cups are removed, the teats and teatcups are sprayed, the milk is measured and pumped away, and the cow leaves the unit. All milking information is saved in the robot's computer system. What are the potential benefits? In a number of industries robots have taken over jobs that are repetitive and can be programmed by a computer. Milking a cow is one of those activities that make robots an attractive option. In fact, a robot is being used in over 500 dairy farms worldwide, and the industry has a hard time keeping up with demand. Automatic milking technology has the potential to allow a family farm to expand to 100 or 150 cows without hiring outside labor. It has also been demonstrated that the technology is cost effective. A study by University of Wisconsin researchers indicates that milking costs with automatic milking can range from $1.30 to $2.00 per cwt for a cowherd between 70 and 140 cows, as compared to $2.15 and $3.65 per cwt for parlor milking the same number of cows. If automatic milking technology becomes widely adopted in KY, it will revolutionize the work routines on dairy farms and contribute to a significant improvement in the quality of life of dairy producers and their families, as it did in Europe. Another potential benefit is improved economic, environmental quality, and social vitality of rural communities associated with the revival of a diverse and thriving family-dairy farm sector. Has this technology been adopted in the US? Yes, but on an experimental or trial basis only. That's all the Food and Drug Administration allows for now. There are currently two systems operating in Wisconsin (one at University of Wisconsin Dairy Farm and another at a private family farm) and one in Pennsylvania (at a private family farm). Robotic or automatic milking system (also called AMS) have gained rapid acceptance in Europe and an additional 1,000 installations were projected there by the end of the year 2000. About 15 farms already adopted the technology in Canada where the average herd size is not much different from KY. What are the main issues related to AMS? Automatic milking involves far more than just substituting manual labor by technology. Adoption of automatic milking systems will require changes in the way the farm is operated. Important issues such as farm management, housing considerations, milk quality, cow welfare and health, must be tackled properly when introducing this technology on dairy farms. One example is the use of TMR feeding, as AMS rely on the use of feed offered in the milking stall to motivate cows to visit the machine. So, there is a need to identify optimum strategies to combine AMS with TMR. For more detailed information on this and several other issues, please refer to the links given below. Research related information
Manufacturers Disclaimer: These links are not an exhaustive listing of companies involved in the manufacturing and installation of robotic milking systems. The Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering does not endorse any of the companies or the products listed. If you would like to have your company listed on this web site, please send an email message to doverhul@bae.uky.edu with the name of the company or product and the web address. | |
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