The pros and cons of robotic milking

generally seen an increase in milk yield likely due to the free access of the robot as the cow can be milked numerous times a day, with no cows standing in a holding area for any length of time. Not having cows standing in a holding area for a prolonged period of time can also help vent lameness which is one of the most important issues to address in order to have a productive dairy herd. The cows have an increased resting time and often increased fertility which is likely due to less stress from being moved. However, the consideration of initial investment costs and a decision to invest a substantial amount of money will need to be carefully contemplated by businesses. This is further highlighted by the increased cost of borrowing due to interest rates also be very power- hungry especially with compressors having to run for prolonged time periods and with the cost of electricity at such a high level this may reduce the farm’s margins significantly. Many businesses that have chosen to make the change and invest in the new robotic milking technology have also invested in other automatic technology such as a silage pusher to ensure the herd have easy access to fresh ration all day and a slurry collector to keep the cows as clean as possible to improve hygiene levels. These technologies complement the robots and significantly reduce the need for staff completing these mundane farm tasks. However the maintenance costs and repair costs (especially if there is a breakdown and a specialised engineer needs to come and associated machinery will likely outweigh the reduction in staff wages. There is a trend for high yielding and larger herds to be housed all year round rather than getting to graze during the summer months which is not favouring the regenerative farming practices that some milk buyers are encouraging, and with robotic systems (although they can be run on a grazing system) generally it is easier to manage if the cows are housed 365 days a year n

Christina Smith 01292 268 181 christina.smith@galbraithgroup.com