Looking across a pasture, we should expect to see grazing animals, a diversity of forage species, fences with gates and drinking water sources. Not so obvious is the dynamic flow of energy, nutrients and water above and below ground. But rest assured, this is occurring constantly, just at different rates depending on the seasonal growth cycle.

Fifteen years after Fair Oaks Farms opened its doors to the public to showcase modern agriculture and innovation in the industry, the farm’s founders, Mike and Sue McCloskey, held a ribbon cutting ceremony for its latest adoption of technology – an 800-cow freestall barn with 12 milking robots.

On Nov. 14, Fair Oaks Farms held a ribbon cutting ceremony for its new automated milking facility. The barn can hold up to 840 cows with 12 robots positioned in the center of the barn.

Almost 10 years ago, brothers Mark and Paul Berning decided to install an automated calf feeder to assist with one of the tasks at Green Waves Farm in St. Michael, Minnesota.

Traditionally, success for automated milking has been measured by increased milk and reduced labor. One full year after starting up robots, Majestic Crossing Dairy is finding additional value in this investment through savings in hoof trimming, mastitis treatments and water use.

Empty barns across America are a ghostly reminder of the dairy industry’s rapid exodus. Hollow and empty, they once housed the lifeblood of a farm, and are now begging a return to useful service for the farm family.