Robot milkers are becoming increasingly popular across Canada. Robot technology is now used to milk cows on 15 to 20% of Canadian farms. Ten years ago, that figure was closer to 5%. Western Canadian dairy farmers are the most enthusiastic adopters, with between 25% and 50% of farms in various provinces using robots to milk cows. Around 20% of farms in Ontario and Quebec, where the majority of dairies are located, use robot milkers.
What is driving the rapid adoption of robots in the Canadian dairy industry? According to Dr. Trevor DeVries, who leads dairy robot research at the University of Guelph, the ability of automation to replace human labour is at the top of the list of benefits.
Listen to Real Agricultures interview with Dr Trevor DeVries