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CONSULT CORNER
Robotic Milking Resources from John Gerbitz

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SYSTEMATIC COW MONITORING IN ROBOTIC MILKING
This article describes how different technologies work together to monitor cow health in robotic milking.
1 day ago2 min read


WHERE DO HIGH OLEIC BEANS FIT IN ROBOTIC MILKING?
The decision to feed roasted high oleic beans in robots will depend on availability, feeding system, and cost.
Jul 103 min read


HOW REPRO PERFORMANCE IMPACTS ROBOT UTILIZATION IN ROBOTIC MILKING
The 65-cow group with 30% over 200 DIM had over 200 pounds more milk per robot per day, as compared to the same number of cows in the 45% group.
Jun 213 min read


FREE FLOW OR GUIDED FLOW ROBOTIC MILKING?
Choosing between free flow and guided flow starts with the forages. In a guided flow barn, cows have to go past the robot to get to the bunk. Every time they go to the bunk there is an opportunity to milk them. Most of their motivation to move around the barn can come from the feed bunk. In a free flow barn, cows can choose whether they will go to the robot or to the bunk.
Jun 192 min read


ROBOTIC MILKING STARTUP STORIES
True stories about robotic milking startups with tips for future startups.
Jun 123 min read


COOLING COWS WITH SPRINKLERS IN THE ROBOTS
Here are some things to consider when using sprinklers in the robots to cool dairy cows.
Jun 52 min read


IS A FRESH COW PEN RIGHT FOR YOUR ROBOTIC DAIRY?
Fresh pens can allow more robot time for fresh cows. They can also improve labor efficiency by concentrating the training and monitoring of fresh cows in one place.
May 293 min read


EVERYTHING IS INTERCONNECTED WHEN YOU MILK WITH ROBOTS
Paul Windemuller and I visited about robotic milking on his Agculture podcast. We covered everything from feeding to fetching, and from...
May 222 min read


COW CORNER ROBOTIC MILKING ON THE AGCULTURE PODCAST
Paul Windemuller and I talked about Cow Corner and the relationship between dairy management and robotic milking on his AgCulture...
May 221 min read


WHAT DO YOU EXPECT FROM HEIFERS MILKED IN ROBOTS
A few years ago, a farmer told me they liked their robots but they weren’t sure robots were the best way to milk heifers. They were...
May 153 min read


FIELD EXPERIENCE WITH REDUCING FEED IN MILKING ROBOTS
It’s been a little more than a year since robotic dairies began having serious conversations about taking away all of the feed in the...
May 83 min read


MANAGING THE COMMITMENT PEN IN GUIDED FLOW ROBOTIC MILKING
In fully guided flow robotic milking, cows receive access to the robot through a commitment pen, where they are held until a robot is...
Apr 303 min read


THE IMPACT OF DAYS IN MILK ON ROBOTIC MILKING
According to Dairy Records Management System (DRMS), US herds average 177 days in milk (DIM). Average DIM depends on when cows become...
Apr 243 min read


THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY FOR MANAGING ROBOTIC-MILKED TRANSITION COWS
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly is the title of a 1966 Clint Eastwood western. I must admit that I have never seen the film. The title is...
Apr 173 min read


USING PEAK PRODUCTION TO EVALUATE ROBOTIC MILKING
Every dairy producer likes to look at peak production numbers, especially with the availability of that metric in robotic milking...
Apr 102 min read


HOOF CARE IN ROBOTIC MILKING
Is hoof care different in robotic milking, as compared to parlor barns? I asked that question of Brett Illies. Bret was a professional...
Apr 33 min read


COW-SPECIFIC SETTINGS IN ROBOTIC MILKING
Your robotic milking system can be micromanaged by assigning special milk access, feed, and milking settings to individual cows or small gro
Mar 273 min read


RETHINKING MILKING PERMISSION IN ROBOTIC MILKING
What if you have unused robot capacity? Can less restrictive milking permission improve cow flow and decrease free time or idle time? The short answer is, no.
Mar 202 min read


OVER-HERD AT AN AMS PANEL DISCUSSION
In February of 2025 Minnesota and Wisconsin University Extension hosted workshops titled “Milking Robots: Are they the future?”. The...
Mar 133 min read


BALANCING THE BUNK AND THE PELLETS - PART 3 - ADJUSTMENTS
Part 2 suggested 2 similar rules of thumb for balancing the bunk and the pellet in free flow barns. One suggestion was to balance the...
Mar 62 min read
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