The rise of the robot

摘要

Dairy robots might seem like science fiction, but their use has increased dramatically in Europe over the last 20 years. Ireland's Animal and Grassland Research and Innovation Centre (Teagasc) predicts 20 per cent of cows will be milked automatically by 2020, with other reports citing a 50 per cent rate in northwest Europe by 2025. "We are increasingly noticing a shift towards robotic milking, particularly in the larger farms," Joakim Rosengren, the president and CEO of Swedish dairy robotics giant DeLaval, told last November's EuroTier, Hanover's animal husbandry and livestock management trade show. "Our customers value the entire spectrum of solutions, from teat dips to fully automatic robots and farm management solutions." These notably include DeLaval's Voluntary Milking System VMS, billed as 'the ultimate milking machine'.