9 Years Of Robotic Milking

9 Years Of Robotic Milking DAIRY EQUIPMENT & IDEAS 34-1-5 n 2000, Pete and Theo Knigge and their son, Charlie, were the first commercial dairy farmers in the U.S. to install robotic milkers on their dairy farm near Omro, Wis. They have two Lely Astronaut robotic units and say they wouldn't want to farm without them, according to a recent report in The Country Today. The systems cost $160,000 each but the family saved on building costs because they didn't need a separate parlor or large holding area. That's because cows get milked any time they're ready. They also save on labor and all the costs related to milking are fixed because they bought a service contract for the milkers that covers maintenance. The Knigges say it takes a certain personality type to work with a robot, since it takes a while to get used to the way the machinery operates and to learn the computer software that goes with it. The robots don't like teats that don't hang straight or deep udders so breeding decisions and heavy culling are important. So is hoof maintenance so cows are comfortable enough to walk freely to the robots. Their rolling herd average is 25,000 lbs. in their 178-stall freestall barn. According to the newspaper, there are about 60 robotic milkers in Wisconsin today.

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