Robotic dairy systems have been available to the public for nearly three decades. In that time, numerous manufacturers have entered the industry, providing consumers with a variety of robotic solutions for milking, feeding and even manure management.

When it comes to the topic of contagious mastitis in dairy cows, the conversation usually revolves around the well-known pathogens Staphylococcus aureus and mycoplasma, with the occasional nod to Streptococcus agalactiae.

The more we understand automation, the better equipped we are to make it work for us. Let's explore the top five reasons for automating the milking routine on a dairy.

Water is essential in the cleaning of milking equipment and is often overlooked as an important component in milk quality.

 Mycoplasma is not a new problem and has plagued dairy farms for over 50 years, so what are the factors that make this disease so dangerous and what have we learned about control and prevention?

Let’s be very clear – we do not use vacuum to “suck” the milk out of the cow. She must give it to us voluntarily. If we want to milk cows more gently, quickly and completely, the goal must be to improve milk flow rates through better stimulation and milk letdowns.