This column has previously mentioned the trials of being a dairy farmer – the early mornings, the routine that can’t be broken, always being on the go, no let-up to the daily grind.
However, on the horizon there’s a new way of doing things for these struggling dairy farmers. It appears that some dairies in Australia have been successfully using robots to milk the cows.
Now it’s not the usual rotunda of milking machines that are in play but something uniquely different to that action.
With this operation now running it allows farmers to get up a lot later instead of that 3am start. A much-needed respite for a worn-out group of people.
This leap in technology should drive young people back to the industry. Younger people being more comfortable with the workings of AI in their everyday jobs.
It appears that the cows are more content, calm and just loving life.
A first step in the process is to get the calves feeding with the introduction of automatic calf feeders, where calves are trained to come into a confined space for feeding.
Once they are grown up, it appears that they just wander in at their leisure to be milked. All this can be monitored, as to the quality of the milk, the health of the cow and any issues arising, and all from a smart phone.
Many dairy farmers are adopting this practice because it creates a better business system for them as well as a better environment for the cows.
Much of this story has been gleaned from the ABC Rural RoundUp newsletter.
This way of milking seems to be indeed good for the cows as there is a little benefit involved in their daily walk-in to be milked.
Some use a hard bristled brush that scratches the backs of the cows as an inducement to be milked and plays a major part in the solar-powered robotic dairy.
The cow stops to enjoy the sensation before entering the milking bays, where once they start feeding the laser checks their udders and warm water is sprayed on their teats, while a mechanised arm puts the cups on.
It seems that there is a minimum of seven hours between milking times, and should they wander up ahead of time, it is detected through the ear tag and the gate refuses to open.
AI has many critics, but it appears that there are good things coming out of these inventions that will allow the farmer respite from the drudgery once endured.
Till next week.
