Automatic Milking Systems
Automatic milking systems (AMS) are an alternative to conventional milking practices, whereby a robotic arm completes the milking related activities at the dairy (e.g. attaches and removes milking cups and cleans teats post-milking). In an AMS, cows can move about within the farm system without human help. Instead, careful farm and feed management is required to encourage cows to move around the farm and be milked regularly, which is often referred to as voluntary cow movement. Accurately allocating feed allowances can be a challenge, particularly when first adopting the technology, but is essential to ensure cows return to the dairy for milking while receiving enough feed to meet their nutritional demands.
In Australia, AMS operate generally in pasture-based grazing systems (the predominant farm system type) but are also used in contained housing systems. The technology was first introduced in Australia in 2001, and while adoption has been slow this technology is now present in most dairying regions, although still makes up only a small percentage of total farms. Common drivers for adoption are often related to workforce availability, improved technology and AMS technology accessibility (services available within your farming region). There are also potential benefits related to animal health and redirection of labour into other areas of the farm business. Additional information on the types of robots available can be found on the Dairy Australia website.
The NSW DPIRD partnered with Dairy Australia and DeLaval to create the Milking Edge project, which was designed to support the Australian dairy industry to consider, invest and operate automatic milking systems (AMS) successfully. The project was a 4-year initiative built on more than a decade of research and development as part of the FutureDairy Project and the experience of multiple commercial AMS farmers.
Though Milking Edge came to an end in April 2022, the tools, resources and support that were developed and established as part of the project continue to be relevant, and have a positive impact in the Australian dairy industry today.
Key highlights include:
- 83% of all new AMS farmers engaged with DPI
- 75% of all AMS farmers engaged in the program
- 8 online modules developed
- 12 webinars delivered
- 4 scientific publications
- 35 presentations at events across NSW
Information on the economics and performance factors of AMS, which includes research and findings from the Milking Edge project as well as research conducted internationally, has been developed to summarise the key points in more detail.
Download
Training modules
A series of 8 training modules are accessible through Dairy Australia’s training platform “Enlight”. The modules cover general AMS information as well as explore key farm management areas.
Automatic Milking Systems (AMS) Tool
This interactive tool lets you explore whether AMS suits your farm, or whether you are using your AMS system effectively, as well as compare your performance with data from other users across NSW. Owners and operators can add their own farm data to explore the key physical and economic impacts of different configurations and management options and identify areas of underperformance. This tool can help propose alternative pathways to optimise whole system performance.
Information sheets on main concepts of AMS
A series of 1-page information sheets with the main concepts behind the key AMS farm management topics were developed. These can guide farmers or advisors through the key messages, features and options on each topic. They are also included in the respective online training modules found on Dairy Australia’s Enlight.
AMS R&D Online Showcase
Watch a series of videos from 23 researchers and scientists across the world share the latest on AMS research and development.
Milking Edge AMS Farm Showcase
Watch a series of videos from 13 farmers and 7 service providers as they share their first-hand knowledge and experience working with AMS.
Final summary report
A complete report of achievements from the MilkingEdge project is available for download.
Research outcomes
A series of case studies and papers were produced as part of the Milking Edge project, these included:
- Physical and economic comparison of pasture-based automatic and conventional milking systems by Dr Juan Gargiulo
- Optimising profitability and productivity of pasture-based dairy farms with automatic milking systems.
- The AMS Integrated Management Model: A decision-support system for automatic milking systems.
- Investigations into the applications and impacts of automation in pasture-based dairy systems.
- Profitability of Australian AMS farms 2015/16 to 2019/20.
- Case study comparing the profitability of AMS and CMS operations for one dairy business.
- We conducted a survey to understand how different farmers, in Australia and overseas, were training, managing and monitoring their heifers.
Webinars and recordings
Webinars
- AMS Integrated Management Model: A decision-support system for automatic milking systems (Sep 2021)
- AMS Journey: preparation, start-up & optimisation (May 2019) (YouTube 1:02:44)
- AMS KPI Project: Monitoring commercial AMS farms (Nov 2017) (YouTube - 42:30)
- Automatic Milking Systems - Generalities (Oct 2015) (YouTube - 33:50)
- Automatic Milking Systems - Types of robots (Feb 2016) (YouTube - 34:15)
- Challenges and opportunities with nutritional management of cows milked with AMS (Dec 2020) (YouTube 1:09:58)
- Cow signals, robotic milking and five lactations (Oct 2016) (YouTube - 56:38)
- Extension services supporting dairy farm using AMS - The Irish example (June 2020) (YouTube 59:56)
- Farmers’ perceptions on implementing automatic milking systems in large US dairies (Nov 2021)
- Health disorders and behaviour of cows in AMS (Sep 2019) (YouTube 59:53)
- Managing heat stress on pasture-based AMS (Feb 2018) (YouTube - 41:24)
- Optimising Milking Management at a Quarter Level (Sep 2019) (YouTube - 59:32)
- Robot milking and grazing from an Irish perspective (April 2019) (YouTube- 57:57)
- Robotic milking for sustainable dairy systems (Apr 2017) (YouTube - 52:43)
- Success factors for Robotic Milking on North American Dairies (Jun 2016) (YouTube 1:04:39)
Recordings
Showcases
- AMS R&D Online Showcase, where 23 researchers from around the world shared the latest on AMS R&D. Watch the recordings here.
- Milking Edge AMS Farm Showcase, where 13 farmers and 7 service providers shared their first-hand knowledge and experience working with AMS. Watch the recordings here.
Other recordings
- How do AMS enable vets & what they change in routine of diseases & management? By Nicolas Lyons at ANZCVS Science Week 2019 (YouTube - 36:07)
- Interview of Trevor Mills on Automated Milking Systems (YouTube - 16:59)
- Milking Edge: training and extension program for automatic milking in Australia (YouTube - 2:39)
- More from Less - the investment in robotic milking by Bev and Gary Carpenter at the 2016 DRF Symposium (MP4, 944 MB)
- Pasture based Automated Milking Systems (YouTube - 3:18)
- Robotic milking systems (YouTube - 2:33)
- Women in Dairy; AMS Discussion Panel (Passcode: E61Kf=mN)
For any other information related to automatic milking systems, please visit Dairy Australia’s website or contact the NSW DPIRD team dairy@dpird.nsw.gov.au.