Released July 9, 2007
EAST LANSING, Mich. -- The future has arrived at Ag Expo in the form of the Astronaut A3 robotic milking system, which will be demonstrated daily during the show, July 17-19 at Michigan State University (MSU).
Lely USA, Inc., will be demonstrating the robotic milking system for all expo goers interested in witnessing new milking technology.
“These demos will interest dairy producers and anyone else interested in the latest advances in technology,” said MSU ANR communications manager Sara Long. “It will be a great opportunity for people to see this new technology with experts on hand to answer questions.”
Ag Expo marks the first time the robotic milking system will be displayed in Michigan. The system has been used throughout Europe and Canada for several years and became available for sale in the United States in 2006.
This new, fully automated technology requires fewer man-hours and less hired labor than conventional systems, and it has been reported to increase production, make herd management more efficient and lower energy costs. The robotic system oversees the complete handling of the milking process, from washing the udder to connecting the teat cups to dipping the teats after milking.
Once cows become acclimated to the system, which can be installed in most freestall barns, they can visit the unit as often as they like. That can increase milk production up to 20 percent.
Once the cow enters the unit, she is automatically weighed and a teat detection sensor scans the udder for the teats’ location. The teats are washed, then a robotic arm attaches the teat cups. A pulsation unit then proceeds to milk the cow. The system also feeds the cow during milking, ensuring a stress-free environment. Following milking, a teat dip completes the process.
The system registers all data from each cow’s identification device, allowing the producer to manage the herd from a home computer or on a touch-screen monitor attached to the milking system. It also automatically monitors each cow’s milk quality and udder health, and it separates colostrum and abnormal milk after each milking.
Real cows must be trained to use the system, so a see-through model cow will be used during the Ag Expo demonstrations.
“Many people will be drawn to this demo because they will be very curious to see how it works,” Long said. “It exposes people to new technologies they may never get to see otherwise. Even if you’re not a dairy farmer, just seeing this system in action will be a very interesting experience.”
Ag Expo features commercial farm equipment from throughout the Midwest and several Canadian provinces on the 35-acre main exhibition site and the 40-acre field demonstration area.
Ag Expo will also feature a number of educational exhibits from MSU colleges and departments. Ag Expo is sponsored by the MSU College of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
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http://anrcom.msu.edu/press/070107/070907_roboticmilking.htm
Contact: Laura Probyn, (517) 432-1555, ext. 171
