MILKING WITH ROBOTS - WHAT DO EMPLOYEES NEED TO KNOW - PART 1 - ROBOTS

Whether you have an experienced employee moving into a new role in the robot barn, or have just hired someone new, you need a plan to set that person up for success. This is the first article of a three-part series to help build a training plan with the things your employees need to know about robots. We will start with the essential things to know about the robots. Parts 2 and 3 will follow with essential things to know about the cows and the software – all from a robotic milking perspective. We’ll cover safety, operation, cleaning, and alarms in general terms. You’ll want to involve your dealer to get more specific. But, they say, “Start with why,” so I suggest beginning with an overview of how the barn works.

Start with why cows come to the robots. This will vary from farm to farm depending on the

traffic pattern – is it the feed in the robots, the feed in the bunk, or both? Follow with the desired milking frequency for different stages of lactation – more is not always better. Late lactation cows should not displace early lactation cows at the robot. Touch on the things that encourage cow flow – like a consistent supply of feed in the bunk. Follow with the things that discourage cow flow – long lock up times, and people working in the pens. Be sure to explain how the separation pens are used.

Safety

Robot safety is often overlooked or taken for granted. Make sure employees know which parts of the robot move, when and where. They need to understand how to stop the robots, and which procedures should only be done with the robot disabled. Robot movement is not the only risk. Cows that kick at hands and arms in close quarters, sometimes with sharp edges, can also cause serious injury. Talk about any risk of electrical shock.

Operation

Explain the essential functions of the touch screen and any other controls. Start with the basic functions, and add new tasks as confidence grows. Have them watch and listen as several cows milk. Experience with normal operation will help employees notice when things are not working as they should. Again, don’t just show them. Guide them through the procedure for hands-on learning, and provide for repetition. Don’t forget about operation of related equipment like gates, scrapers, and feed pushers.

Cleaning

A coworker used to tell me that, “A clean robot is a happy robot.” I don’t doubt it, but more than that, cleaning helps employees notice details, and become familiar with the robot. Make sure they know what cleaning products to use where, and which parts of the robot might be damaged by water.

Alarms

Begin be putting apps on phones, or providing access to a common device so new employees have access to the alarms. Start with a few of the most common alarms, and walk through causes and troubleshooting. Work through the alarms together the first few times. Give them more space as confidence grows. Eventually, you should leave them alone and give them a chance to figure things out as they work through the less common alarms.

Once you have covered the basics, be sure to give your new employees plenty of opportunities to practice what they have learned. As they become more confident, leave them alone for part of 2 or 3 days each week. Not only will this build confidence, it will help them to see things from a different perspective, and promote curiosity about how things work.