Will a Robot be Milking Your Cows?

Vinton Smith, Dairy Management Agent & Capital Region Dairy Team Leader
January 18, 2002

Robotic milking technology is now being used in Pennsylvania! Currently, three dairy farms are using at least one robotic milker on their farm. They are on the front edge of innovation as they implement this technology in milking cows. However, there are dozens of other dairy producers throughout Pennsylvania watching them… waiting to decide if they too will invest in this technology.

Economics, milk quality and regulations are three of the biggest concerns that Pennsylvania dairy businesses have at this time regarding robotic milking technology. Many are looking at the capital investment costs and thinking that this is just too expensive. Some are saying, “We will not sacrifice milk quality in order to use robots.” Others are concerned about how the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture will regulate this technology that is only being approved on a case-by-case basis at this time. I will address all three of these issues in this column to help you better understand this technology.

Economics:
This is one of the biggest questions, “Can I afford to buy a robotic milker to milk my cows?” The answer to the question will be unique to each and every one of you. You will need to take into consideration your current investment in facilities, your need to invest in new facilities, your current and expected future labor costs, your level of production, and other “non-economic” factors. These are all very important in determining if you can afford to invest in this technology.

Evaluating your current facilities will lead to much of the input into the your decision making process. Do you have outdated facilities that will need to be replaced or are in need of major repairs? If your current facilities are “well-used,” have paid for themselves and you are considering replacing them, then, it makes economic sense to evaluate all alternatives. On the
other hand, if you recently built a new milking parlor just a few years ago, it makes more sense to continue using that parlor until it has at least paid for itself.

Challenges related to finding and maintaining a quality workforce is often one of the key issues that encourage dairy producers to consider investing in robotic milking technology. Clearly, a dairy producer using a robotic milker will be able to reduce the number of employees he or she hires. In addition, investing in robotic milking technology can enable a dairy producer to expand his or her herd without adding new employees. Ultimately, this will increase the cows per worker on the farm leading to improved labor efficiency. However, you must closely evaluate your savings in labor costs and compare it to your projected increase in capital cost with a robotic milker.

Your level of milk production and your efficiency of producing milk is a key fact that makes a major difference in the economic viability of any investment in new technology, including robotic milkers. Given similar input costs, the farms with higher levels of milk production will be more profitable. The cost of a new parlor or a robotic milker can be spread out over more hundredweights of milk, making the investment more economical. Regardless of your future investment decisions, be sure to be realistic about your future production levels.

Non-economic factors such as “quality of life” have been a big part of the decision making process to Canadian and European dairy producers who have invested in robotic milking technology. The technology has given them more flexibility in their work routine. However, it has not reduced their need to work in the barn and around the cows. A robot will only milk the cows; it can’t do everything.

Milk Quality:
Producing high quality milk will lead to a more profitable dairy business. Quality premiums can be as much as $.50 per cwt. That can add up to a substantial amount of money over an entire year. Regardless of the type of milking technology being used, focusing on detail and paying attention to the little things will often lead to improved milk quality.

Generally speaking, dairy farms that have switched to using robotic milking technology have not had problems producing milk that is safe and within the legal limits of quality.  However, many farms have lost a little in terms of their level of milk quality. If you are thinking about investing in robotic milking technology, don’t expect to improve the quality of milk that
you are producing now just by switching to robots. Perhaps, over time and with a focus on detail, you will see an improvement.

Regulation:
Officials in the Bureau of Food Safety, part of the Department of Agriculture (PDA), have been very proactive and supportive of robotic milking technology. They are working closely with the current robotic milker installations to monitor milk quality and to learn as much as they can about this technology. I believe they realize that robotic milking is here to stay and they don’t want to limit progress of the Pennsylvania dairy industry.

Currently, PDA is approving robotic milking installations on a case-by-case basis. They are closely evaluating every aspect of the installation to assure that the equipment at least meets the standard requirements the state has imposed on all milking systems. Officials in PDA have worked closely and proactively with the dairy producers currently using robotic milkers, before the milkers were even installed, to limit problems and concerns in the future.

Visit a farm with a robot milker:
The Capital Region Dairy Team has organized a program at H. E. Heindel & Sons farm in Brogue, PA (York County) called, “Robotic Milking in Pennsylvania.” It will be held January 31, 2002 from 9:30 am to 3:00 pm. This farm has had four robotic milkers installed since last summer. The farm’s dairy manager, officials from PDA, Capital Region extension agents, faculty from Penn State, and representatives from Lely will be on hand to present information and to discuss questions you may have. Cost for the program is only $15 and includes lunch. To register, please call (717) 840-7408 or email vsmith@psu.edu.