Intensive Farming

Cattle Behaviour Under Robotic Milking

Automatic milking systems change dairy cow behavior and welfare in ways that require specific management attention.

Key Facts

Cows in automatic milking systems voluntarily visit robots 2-3 times daily
Some cows in AMS systems have reduced milking frequency causing welfare problems
Lame cows are less likely to visit the robot, exacerbating lameness from reduced milking
System monitoring detects cows with abnormal milking patterns requiring intervention

Welfare Considerations

Automatic milking systems give cows control over milking frequency that motivated animals use well. However, low-ranking or lame cows may not visit the robot adequately, causing udder engorgement, mastitis, and welfare decline. Robot fetching programs that identify cows with insufficient visits and bring them to the robot prevent these problems. Lameness reduces robot visitation creating a welfare cycle requiring proactive monitoring.

What You Can Do

Support dairy farms with AMS welfare monitoring systems
Advocate for AMS welfare requirements in dairy standards
Choose dairy from farms with documented lameness and milking frequency monitoring
Back research into AMS design optimizing welfare outcomes for all cows