BURLINGTON – n August 19, the University of Extension Dairy Herd Management Team, in collaboration with Stonyfield Organic, will host a workshop and tour of two Franklin County farms that use robotic milking systems. Participating farmers will share their experiences transitioning to automation, including key decision points, robotic milking unit selection, facility design and modification, herd management changes and lessons learned throughout the process.
The workshop will begin at 9:30 a.m., at Moo Acres Farm in Fairfield. Owners Ben and Hillary Williams will discuss the costs and logistics of managing a bedded pack and the impact of barn and robot integration on milk quality. They will also talk about their barn design and experience using robotic milkers as participants tour the newly constructed bedded pack barn with its two GEA robotic milkers.
After lunch, sponsored by Stonyfield Organics, participants will visit Windy Hill Farm in Enosburg, owned and operated by Brendan and Marcy Schreindorfer. At this location, they will tour the retrofitted barn and three used robotic milking units and learn about how the Schreindorfers integrate robotic milking and grazing and calculate feed formulation and nutrition to support production.
Automated milking systems, also known as robotic milkers, not only save time and labor but may lead to increased milk production as cows are less stressed as they choose when they want to be milked. These systems also collect data on individual cows, including milk yield and milking frequency, enabling farmers to make informed decisions about feeding and animal health. The workshop is free with lunch included although registration is required. To register, go to https://go.uvm.edu/robotic-milking. Registrations will be accepted until August 18. For questions, call or email Whitney Hull at (802) 656-7563 or [email protected]. To request a disability-related accommodation, please contact her by July 29.
