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Automatic Milking
Edited by:
A. Meijering
H. Hogeveen
C.J.A.M. de Koning
Automatic Milking
a b e t t e r u n d e r s t a n d i n g
Automatic Milking
Edited by:
A. Meijering
H. Hogeveen
C.J.A.M. de Koning
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This work is subject to copyright. All rights are
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In so far as photocopies from this publication
are permitted by the Copyright Act 1912,
Article 16B and Royal Netherlands Decree of
20 June 1974 (Staatsblad 351) as amended in
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ISBN: 978-90-76998-38-1 (Staatsblad 471) and by Copyright Act 1912,
e-ISBN: 978-90-8686-525-3 Article 17, the legally defined copyright fee for
DOI: 10.3920/978-90-8686-525-3 any copies should be transferred to the
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First published, 2004 For repro duction of parts of this publication
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(Copy right Act 1912, Article 16), written
© Wageningen Academic Publishers permission must be obtained from
The Netherlands, 2004 the publisher.
PREFACE
In 2000 the book Robotic Milking, reflecting the proceedings of an International
Symposium, which was held in The Netherlands, came out. At that time, commercial
introduction of automatic milking systems was no longer obstructed by technological
inadequacies. Particularly in a few
West-European countries, systems were being installed at an increasing rate. However,
it was recognised that the changeover from “traditional” to automatic milking affected the
farming operation, herd management and control of milk quality profoundly and that many
of the implications were still unknown. So, new challenges in various fields of dairy farming
and new research areas emerged.
Since the International Symposium in 2000, much has happened. In general, automatic
milking has been adopted as a realistic alternative for milking in the “traditional” milking
parlour. Systems have gradually been improved and, maybe even more importantly, farmers
have become more familiar with their potential and limitations, both technically and in
herd management. The number of farms milking with an automatic milking system has
worldwide increased from approximately 500 in 2000 to more than 2.200 by the end of
2003. The majority is still concentrated in north and west Europe, but interest from the
south of Europe, Japan, Canada and the USA is increasing. In Sweden and Denmark up to
half of the farmers planning the replacement of their milking system, decide for automatic
milking. In The Netherlands about 25% do so.
From 2000 to now, the level of scientific knowledge on various aspects and consequences
of automatic milking has increased largely as well because of research efforts all over the
world. A significant share of these efforts has been made within the framework of a EU-
granted project on the implications of the introduction of automatic milking on dairy farms.
Some seven research institutes and six industrial companies from six countries joined their
expertise and experience in order to facilitate a widespread adoption of automatic milking
without undesirable side effects.
In the latter days of the EU-project a follow-up symposium on Automatic Milking was
organised to present the results from this project and to merge these with knowledge
generated in studies performed all over the world. The motto of the symposium, for a better
understanding, reflects the aim of all efforts made in this field in recent years, i.e. to
acquire knowledge on all consequences and issues related to the introduction of automatic
milking on dairy farms.
This book reflects the proceedings of this symposium, again held in Lelystad, The
Netherlands, in March 2004. Its contents may be considered as the present state of
knowledge in the field of automatic milking, in particular with respect to the following
topics:
• Economic aspects and social implications
• Perception of the technology by society at large
• Impact on milk quality
• (Re)definition, detection and separation of abnormal milk
Automatic milking – A better understanding 7
• Impact on the excretion of antibiotic residues
• Effects of farm hygiene and teat cleaning on milk quality
• Demands with respect to cleaning of automatic milking systems
• Effects of converting to automated milking on animal health
• Automatic milking and animal welfare
• Integrating automatic milking and grazing
• Demands and opportunities for operational management support
These topics are addressed by 47 full papers and some 80 poster abstracts, originating
from 16 countries from Europe, Asia, Oceania and North America, giving an excellent
coverage of the topics mentioned. A special paper is dedicated to the “state of the art”
in automatic milking in North America and in Europe.
The efforts by the members of the Scientific Committee to select the right papers for
oral and poster presentation are gratefully acknowledged. The work by the members of the
Organising Committee, the “draught horses”, to make the symposium a successful event
deserves particular acknowledgement. Last but not least, the crucial financial support by
the many sponsors is highly appreciated.
Albert Meijering
Henk Hogeveen
Kees de Koning
Editors
8 Automatic milking – A better understanding
SYMPOSIUM ORGANIZATION
Organizing Committee
Dr Albert Meijering chairman
Ir André van der Kamp administrator
Ing. Kees de Koning treasurer and business liaison
Dr Henk Hogeveen scientific programme
Ing. Anita Wolsing organisation and publicity
Scientific committee
Dr Henk Hogeveen (chairman) Wageningen University, The Netherlands
Dr Christel Benfalk Swedish Institute of Agricultural and Environmental
Engineering, Sweden
Ing. Kees de Koning Animal Sciences Group, Wageningen UR, The Netherlands
Dr J. Eric Hillerton Institute for Animal Health, United Kingdom
Dr Karin Knappstein Federal Dairy Research Centre, Germany
Dr Erik Mathijs Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium
Dr Albert Meijering Animal Sciences Group, Wageningen UR, The Netherlands
Dr Morten D. Rasmussen Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Denmark
Dr Keith Roe Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium
Dr Hans Wiktorsson Swedish Agricultural Univesity, Sweden
Automatic milking – A better understanding 9
