Can cows really milk themselves?

The dairy industry is undergoing a significant transformation as technology reshapes the way farms operate.

Among the most influential innovations are robotic milking machines, which have revolutionised traditional milking practices by automating the milking process, improving efficiency and enhancing animal welfare.

These systems allow cows to be milked according to their natural routines, while providing farmers with real-time data on milk production, cow health and herd performance.

The award-winning pedigree Holstein Friesian Cedarmore Herd is using three Lely Astronaut milking robots, along with Lely Vector automatic feeding systems, to maximise efficiency and cow performance.

For nearly six years, Bryan and his brother John have been using two automated milking machines, with a third robot installed this year.

Big advantages

“One of the big advantages of the system here and with the cow type that John and Bryan and the O’Connor family have built up over the years is the cows have the freedom to access the milking facility themselves.

"They can come in and get milked as it’s needed. A lot of the cows here are very high yielding and are being milked three times a day plus,” says Myles Kearney, sales adviser with Lely Mitchelstown.

The farm was a greenfield site; John had travelled around Europe looking at facilities to see what layout he wanted.

The O’Connor family also installed the vector feeding system on the far side of the shed to allow the cows to be fed with fresh feed on a continuous basis – encouraging dry matter intake.

Financial investment

Each system is priced and assessed on an individual basis depending on the farmers needs along with what system works best for the cows.

According to Myles, a typical one-robot system could cost anything from €170,000 to €200,000, with a two-robot system costing €280,000 to €300,000, which is a significant financial investment.

Watch below to see the robotic milking machines in action: