Nearly 150 years ago, in 1879, New Jersey dairy farmer Anna Baldwin invented the first milking machine. Today, dairy producers have had access to safe, efficient automated dairy systems for 30 years, and the pace of advancement and innovation is increasing rapidly.

Improved labor efficiency, employee retention and communication were among the benefits for two Pacific Northwest dairy farms that upgraded their milking parlors from the traditional herringbone and parallel models to a rotary and an automated milking system, respectively.

Robots or a rotary parlor? As this question continues to be debated nationwide, Progressive Dairy Podcast host Matti McBride sits down with Torie Little of TDSG and Stephanie Schroeder of Boumatic to identify key points that dairy producers need to understand when investing in an automated milking system. Listen to learn about attributes of successful transitions, questions asked during the process and how certain management styles fit different technologies.

The operation has grown to 400 Holstein cows milked with six robotic milking systems, as well as a new retail store where they also sell local products from their community. The farm has a beef community-supported agriculture (CSA) program and also provides hay wagon tours and farm tours throughout the spring and summer and four weeks of Kids Farm Camp.

Just as the line at the concession stand depends on what is happening on the baseball field, the line at the robot depends on what is happening in the barn.

Robotic batch milking was introduced some years ago, but interest in this type of milking setup started gaining serious traction in the last year or two. Here’s what you need to know.

As the market for dairy robots has increased, so has the availability of used equipment. For producers interested in making a switch to automation, considerations around buying used or new do not differ greatly from traditional equipment.

Automated milking is part of the artificial intelligence revolution. There are, however, many myths surrounding the fundamentals of robotic dairies that may present unnecessary roadblocks to those considering the switch.

“Change is easy. Transition is hard. Are you open to surrounding yourself with people who have the best knowledge and listening to them?” Nancy Charlton of DeLaval asked listeners of the “Capitalizing on robotics to enhance animal health and reproduction” panel at the 2023 Dairy Cattle Reproduction Council annual meeting.

Robotic dairy systems have been available to the public for nearly three decades. In that time, numerous manufacturers have entered the industry, providing consumers with a variety of robotic solutions for milking, feeding and even manure management.