Wisconsin’s Dairy Innovation Hub is looking into why some dairy producers use robotic milkers while others avoid them. According to a university survey, 75% of dairy farmers do not consider automated milking systems due to the high cost of purchasing, installing, and maintaining them. The study also discovered that farms with more cows, higher rolling herd averages, and larger acres to manage were more likely to use automated milking systems. Farms with more than 1,000 cows and farms under 60 were less likely to use robots. The younger generation and farmers over the age of 60 were more likely to use automated milking systems because they grew up with and were more comfortable with technology. The study is currently underway to investigate profitability in automated systems and compare guided-flow versus free-flow barns. The survey found an equal split in the use of robot brands.
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