ROBOT COWS NEED A FAST START

It’s been a few years since I listened to the podcast where I heard Todd Ward say, “The key is to get cows producing more milk than the PMR supports, as quickly as possible.” Todd’s comment has stuck with me, and influenced much of my thinking about robotic milking. In practice, this applies directly to free traffic barns, but the concept is equally relevant in guided flow. Getting robot cows off to a fast start, early in lactation, keeps them moving to feed which supports more frequent milking and higher peak production. A 26,000-pound Holstein herd should expect the average heifer to peak at 90 pounds and the average mature cow to peak at 115 pounds.

Want to read more?

Subscribe to cow-corner.co to keep reading this exclusive post.

Subscribe Now