Automatic milking systems allow cows to choose when to be milked, with significant welfare benefits but also new welfare challenges requiring careful management.
Cows in robotic milking systems that can freely access the robot show welfare benefits from voluntary milking times and reduced human handling stress. However, individual cows that avoid the robot due to teat health problems or social competition at robot entry points may go unmilked for extended periods causing udder discomfort and mastitis. Lame cows may avoid walking to the robot causing increasing milk pressure and pain. Social dominance effects require management to ensure subordinate cows access the robot adequately. Alert systems that flag cows failing to visit appropriately are essential for welfare monitoring.