Milking and Milking Parlour

Should We Be Milking Fewer Cows?

Is it necessary to review the stocking rates on your farm? Kevin Macdonald, DairyNZ Senior Scientist Farm Systems and Dave Clark, DairyNZ Principal Scientist Farm Systems looks at whether some producers would be more profitable by reducing stocking rates.

The Robots Are Coming

The principle of an automatic milking system (AMS) requires a significant change in approach to herd and farm management (from that in a conventional system) for two main reasons: (i) cows volunteer themselves for milking and (ii) milking is distributed over a 24h period, writes Stephen Fitzgerald and Bernadette O’Brien from Teagasc, Ireland.

Rotary Milking

Claiming to significantly reduce milking time, improve yields and herd health, Charlotte Johnston, TheCattleSite junior editor goes to find out the true benefits of the rotary parlour.

Managing dairy herds automatically

By Chris Harris, TheDairySite Senior Editor. While tracking and tracing systems have been an essential part of breeding, rearing, slaughtering and processing animals for meat, their use has mainly been as means of assuring quality and food safety.