Invited review: The impact of automatic milking systems on dairy cow management, behavior, health, and welfare

Abstract

Over the last 100 yr, the dairy industry has incorporated technology to maximize yield and profit. Pressure to maximize efficiency and lower inputs has resulted in novel approaches to managing and milking dairy herds, including implementation of automatic milking systems (AMS) to reduce labor associated with milking. Although AMS have been used for almost 20 yr in Europe, they have only recently become more popular in North America. Automatic milking systems have the potential to increase milk production by up to 12%, decrease labor by as much as 18%, and simultaneously improve dairy cow welfare by allowing cows to choose when to be milked. However, producers using AMS may not fully realize these anticipated benefits for a variety of reasons. For example, producers may not see a reduction in labor because some cows do not milk voluntarily or because they have not fully or efficiently incorporated the AMS into their management routines. Following the introduction of AMS on the market in the 1990s, research has been conducted examining AMS systems versus conventional parlors focusing primarily on cow health, milk yield, and milk quality, as well as on some of the economic and social factors related to AMS adoption. Additionally, because AMS rely on cows milking themselves voluntarily, research has also been conducted on the behavior of cows in AMS facilities, with particular attention paid to cow traffic around AMS, cow use of AMS, and cows' motivation to enter the milking stall. However, the sometimes contradictory findings resulting from different studies on the same aspect of AMS suggest that differences in management and farm-level variables may be more important to AMS efficiency and milk production than features of the milking system itself. Furthermore, some of the recommendations that have been made regarding AMS facility design and management should be scientifically tested to demonstrate their validity, as not all may work as intended. As updated AMS designs, such as the automatic rotary milking parlor, continue to be introduced to the dairy industry, research must continue to be conducted on AMS to understand the causes and consequences of differences between milking systems as well as the impacts of the different facilities and management systems that surround them on dairy cow behavior, health, and welfare.

A decision-tree model to detect post-calving diseases based on rumination, activity, milk yield, BW and voluntary visits to the milking robot

“…Today, on farms with robotic milking, a variety of sensors provide frequent and detailed information on performance and behaviour of each individual cow (Halachmi, 2004 and2009;Halachmi et al, 2011;Jacobs and Siegford, 2012;Kolbach et al, 2012;Clark et al, 2016). Before the introduction of these sensors, this information could not be obtained with the older management and milking systems (Spahr and Maltz, 1997).…”

“…In contrast to conventional milking parlours, a milking robot allows the cows more freedom to control their daily activities and rhythms (Halachmi et al, 2000a and2000b;Halachmi, 2004;Jacobs and Siegford, 2012). The cows on a farm with milking robots are typically calmer and more 'independent' -that is, herd synchronization with respect to lying, feeding and milking is reduced (Winter and Hillerton, 1995;Ketelaar de Lauwere et al, 1996).…”

Detection of high levels of somatic cells in milk on farms equippedwith an automatic milking system by decision trees technique

“…This system gives the cow a relatively large freedom of choosing milking time and frequency over the day (1). Many researchers found that an increased frequency of milking influences milk yield as well as the condition of udders and teats.…”

“…Hence prompt detection of udder inflammations in cows is still very important. This is necessary in order to maintain proper quality of milk and overall good health in cows (1,2). An increased somatic cell count (SCC) in milk collected from cows reared in farms, with complete monitoring of all indicators related to milk yield, can be relatively quickly detected.…”

The utility of sensor technology to support reproductive management on dairy farms

“…Normative studies have suggested that an AMS could potentially improve milk production and reduce labor, and therefore be a profitable investment (de Koning, 2010, Hyde and Engel, 2002, Jacobs and Siegford, 2012. In contrast, empirical studies have concluded that investment in an AMS provides no financial gain compared to a conventional miling system (CMS) (Bijl, et al, 2007.…”