Invited review: The impact of automatic milking systems on dairy cow management, behavior, health, and welfare

Summary

This invited review synthesises two decades of research on automatic milking systems in dairy herds, examining their effects on milk production, labour requirements, cow health and welfare. Whilst AMS offer potential benefits including voluntary milking access and labour reductions of up to 18%, the review identifies that realisation of these benefits depends substantially on management practices and farm-level variables rather than system design alone. The authors note contradictions between studies and suggest that facility design recommendations require scientific validation before widespread implementation.

Regional applicability

The review encompasses both European experience (20 years) and emerging adoption in North America, making it relevant to UK dairy producers considering AMS investment. UK farm structures and labour contexts differ from North American systems, so direct economic comparisons may require local validation, but the behavioural and welfare findings are likely transferable to UK temperate dairy systems.

Key measures

Milk yield, labour hours, milk quality, cow health, cow behaviour (traffic patterns, voluntary use of milking stalls), cow welfare indicators, economic factors related to AMS adoption

Outcomes reported

The review examined research on automatic milking systems (AMS) versus conventional parlors, synthesising findings on cow health, milk yield, milk quality, economic factors, cow behaviour, and welfare outcomes. It identified that AMS can increase milk production by up to 12% and decrease labour by 18%, but that management and farm-level variables may be more important to AMS efficiency than system design features.

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