For Canadian farmers, regulatory compliance will limit the use of tiestall barns beginning in April 2027. If labour efficiency is motivating you, automated milking might be part of your plan. One of the first questions to answer is whether to retrofit milking robots into your existing tiestall barn or start over with a new facility.

Labor shortages, rising input costs and growing expectations around animal care are forcing producers to think differently about how they manage their operations, not just for today but for the next five to 10 years and beyond.

Six automated milking dairies share their success stories here. Each of them have that adaptation mindset. All of them identify net profit as an important measure of success. Each of their stories highlights a specific strength that successful automated milking dairies have in common.

With the average U.S. dairy herd sizes more than doubling in the last two decades, producers nationwide face a critical question: When does herd growth demand parlor expansion?

Two dairy producers shared insights into how a no-feed approach to milking with robots has shaped their management and long-term outlook on dairy farming during a Tanbark Talk Oct. 2 at World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin.

Investing in a rotary parlor is a big commitment – financially and logistically. With a plan that prioritizes people and cows, you can help ensure the rotary keeps turning for years to come with a well-executed startup.

The transition from a traditional milking to automated milking is not always straightforward. In this article, we’ll look at some of the most important factors to address when planning the shift from a parlor to an automated milking system.

Few things reflect a well-run dairy like relaxed, happy cows chewing their cud in the milking parlor. Rotary parlors are designed to support that kind of consistency. They bring comfort and efficiency to the milking process through steady movement and streamlined routines.