The decision to use robotic milkers wasn’t made over night. It was something we’ve been thinking about since the beginning of 2016.
In January 2016, we started touring farms around Wisconsin and the Midwest that used robotic milkers. We wanted to be able to see the milkers in action, and have real conversations with the farmers that had been using them for a while. We were able to ask the farmers what they liked, what they didn’t like, what worked and what didn’t. Touring all the different farms helped us decide what scenario would be best for us.
After going to farms in the Midwest in January, we went on another round of farm tours in Kansas and New York in the spring of 2016. We were still unsure if we wanted to take the leap, so thought it would be best to talk with more farmers and learn about their experiences.
In late summer, we made the decision to move forward with the project. The first half of the year was a lot of thinking through the process and the construction. From what we saw on the farm tours, what did we like? What would we be able to make work for us? How would this benefit our cows? What impact would this have on the environment, if any?
Installing robotic milkers will be a big change for our farm. Before we make any decisions, especially ones like this, we needed to really do our research. All our farm tours and conversations with other farmers were a crucial part of our decision-making. We’re glad we put in the planning – it is all paying off now that we’re in the construction phase.