Robot milking operations have long been in use in Europe, but spread only slowly in the US. Part of the new dairy is also pastured-based paddocks. Financing for the 94-cow dairy at MSU’s WK Kellogg Biological Station came from a $3.5m 2007 grant from the WK Kellogg Foundation, along with university funds.
About 1,200 people toured the dairy last week when it was opened to the public for the first time. Along with the self-milking system, visitors saw such cow-friendly features as in-pen water beds, rotary back scratchers and automatic manure scrapers.
To save energy, the barn has curtains along its side walls that are raised or lowered to control the temperature. It was also designed to make maximum use of natural light, keeping electricity usage low.
Source: World Dairy Diary
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