Robotic milking goes mainstream and reinvigorates Aussie Dairies

While VMS has been in existence since the early 2000s, their adoption rate was initially quite slow.

Now, we're seeing a change in practice.

It is no secret that technology changes the way we engage with age-old practices.

Take gambling, for example.

In the past, the only way to gamble was to visit land-based establishments to place your bets.

Now, the advent of the internet means you can gamble from anywhere and at any time.

Using a computer or mobile device, players can access thousands of game titles at any given time with no restrictions.

Aussie players have especially taken to this, and as Alex Hoffmann writes, those catering to Aussie players have seen commendable success.

This same pattern is due to be replicated in the milk industry as the benefits of VMS become more obvious.

The NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) especially took an interest in the system and looked to promote its use.

In 2018, it partnered with Dairy Australia and DeLaval to create the Milking Edge Project in a bid to improve the adoption of the system.

So far, it's been a success, with 83% of all new AMS farmers engaged with DPI and 75% of AMS farmers engaged in the initiative.

Outside of overall adoption, there have also been improved results from the systems.

According to a report from the DPI, more adoption could be on the way because of how efficient these robotic systems are, especially when compared to traditional milking practices.

“The research revealed that while, on average, AMS-equipped farms in Australia achieve comparable economic and physical results to conventional milking systems, AMS is beneficial for freeing up labour for other key tasks such as pasture management, boosting overall farm productivity,” the report said.

It noted that Australian AMS-powered farms milk between 150 and 240 cows, and the average milk production for each cow on a daily basis was anywhere between 19.3 and 26.3 kg.

For some farmers and even some consumers, an automatic milking system is appealing because the animals essentially have greater autonomy over when they're milked.

Given the rise of concern about animal welfare and veganism, greater adoption of these processes could garner public goodwill.

According to another report from DPI, these automatic milking systems also encourage younger farmers to either enter the dairy industry or remain within it.

It's no secret that many younger Aussies would rather pursue careers outside of the dairy industry, even if they have family ties to it.

However, technological innovations could usher the Aussie milk industry into a new era, and this is appealing to the youth.

Hopefully, this adoption of automated milking systems will continue and, over time, completely change milking practices in Australia and beyond.