The dairy industry is one of the most important agricultural sectors in the world. It is also an industry that is highly automated. Automation in the dairy industry can benefit your business in many ways. It can help you save time, money, and labor. It can also improve the quality of your products and the efficiency of your operations.
When conversing about automation in the dairy industry, it’s important to understand what automation is. To do this, it’s necessary to understand some of the general concepts associated with technology.
Farmers can manage up to 50 times the acreage with fewer personnel thanks to automation satellites.
Automation is a system where a computer replaces human work. The work that was traditionally done manually can now be done by a computer program. It’s important to keep in mind that the term ‘automation’ doesn’t mean that no workers are necessary at all.
There are many areas of dairy farming where only manual labor will be needed, but these areas of dairy farming are generally more specialized than others. For example, most farms will use some kind of automated milking systems that can handle most: cows and milkers.
The Use Of Artificial Intelligence In Dairy Farming
Artificial intelligence (AI) has been a popular topic in the dairy industry recently. The use of the term “artificial intelligence” can be misleading because while AI may be used in the dairy industry, it’s not the same thing as true AI.
There are many ways that dairy farming is automated and there are many ways to define and categorize automation, but we’ll focus on three categories here: mechanical automation, computer automation software (typically referred to as “software automation”), and machine vision systems. India is the world’s largest milk producer, accounting for 22% of worldwide output.
Mechanical Automation
Mechanical automation is usually equipment that increases efficiency in labor-intensive tasks such as milking cows or feeding cows, or handling large volumes of produce such as vegetables or flowers. The most common type of mechanical automation is automated milking systems.
These systems are used to help dairy farms increase their output. The way they work, is cows enter the milking system at the beginning of the day and stay there throughout the entire day. The automated milking system allows cows to be milked without having to be led back and forth individually by a worker.
Computer Automation Software
Computer automation software is software that is used on computers to simplify and help with non-computerized tasks such as recordkeeping or dairy operations scheduling. It is typically used to create a logical and more convenient system for a farm.
Computer automation software may be as simple as scheduling dairy operations to as complex as 3D modeling and computer-aided design (CAD) programs. Computer automation software can also control mechanical automation and in some cases can be used to help the farmer with the proper use of fertilizer or the preventive care of their livestock.
Automation In The Dairy Industry
While computer automation software can be useful on a farm, it is limited to being used in conjunction with a computer. This means that the farmer needs to have access to the internet and needs to know how to use it. This may not be an issue for some smaller farms, but some farmers don’t have the ability or knowledge necessary to make use of computer automation software.
This statistic shows the dairy market value worldwide in 2020 and also provides a forecast for 2021 to 2026. The worldwide dairy market was worth $827.4 billion USD in 2020 and was expected to increase to around 1128 billion USD by 2026.
This is where machine vision systems can come in handy. They are often used in conjunction with mechanical automation for tasks such as milking cows or handling produce, but they can also be used alongside plant care systems and farm worker safety programs. Machine vision systems can often be used to help the farmer with all of these tasks.
Manufacturing Execution System
Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) provide a link between the shop floor and enterprise resource planning (ERP) or manufacturing operations management (MOM) systems. MES provides real-time data on production lines, which can be used to trigger automation solutions, such as default control systems for dairy processing plants.
The dairy industry is under pressure to maintain high standards of food safety while automating their production processes. A Manufacturing Execution System (MES) can help them to control and monitor production in real-time, while an integrated Production Control System (PCS) can automate production tasks. Automation Engineering can help to design and implement these systems, as well as providing support for process control automation.
Raw materials play an important role in the dairy industry. They are used in manufacturing and production processes, and their quality and quantity can have a significant impact on production data. Dairy processes often involve the use of raw materials such as milk, cream, and butter.
In the past few decades, food processing plants have installed dairy automation systems to improve production control and create production recipes. These systems have helped manufacturers save time and money by reducing waste and increasing efficiency.
Machine Vision Systems In The Dairy Industry
As mentioned above, machine vision systems are useful for a number of non-computerized tasks in the dairy industry. They can also be incredibly beneficial for computer automation software and mechanical automation, but there are other benefits to them as well.
Machine vision systems are able to do much more than just handle milking cows, fruit and veggies or milk production. Computer automation software can use machine vision systems to map out an entire farm and its farm’s crops. An example of this is the HiRobotic System developed by Intermec Robotics Systems Inc.
Benefits of Automating Dairy Farming
The benefits of automation in the dairy industry are numerous. They can help the farmer save time and money, improve the quality of their products and cut labor costs. The following are the 9 most common benefits of automating dairy farming:
1. More Efficiency
Things such as automation in milking systems and computer automation software can help a farm become more efficient by allowing only certain cows to be milked at any given time. And when milking, only one cow can be milked at any given time.
This helps prevent contamination on the farm or in products because no employee is sharing equipment with another animal or person. There are many other benefits to this type of automation by increasing the output of the farm (e.g., producing more milk) and improving efficiency.
2. Improvements To Pollution Control
Automation can help reduce waste in the dairy industry. In addition to reducing labor on the farm, it is possible that automation can reduce or eliminate some of the harmful waste products associated with human.
For example, it is possible that a system could only allow cows to enter a milking system at specific times of day or only when they aren’t eating hay or grazing in another area on the farm.
3. Less Risk Of Injuries For Human Workers
The main reason that farmers have evolved from manual to automated farming is because of safety. Farms are dangerous places and accidents can happen to anyone.
For example, milking cows with an automated milking system ensures that only the animals intended to be milked are milked, which significantly reduces the risk of injury for all involved parties. In addition, a computerized cow feeder could ensure that the cows aren’t fed too much or too little at one time and helps prevent feed spills.
4. It Allows Farmers To Concentrate On The Crops
Automation helps farmers to focus on their crops and how they grow, rather than worrying about the farm. The computer automation software can help farmers manage their farms more efficiently, which allows them to spend more time in other areas of their farm.
This can include more time spent in planning and planting of crops, improving irrigation efficiency and preventing waste from backflow. Farmers can be spending more time with customers on the farm by using technology to help improve customer service.
5. Less Workload On Employees
Automation may allow fewer employees overall at a dairy farm. This can allow the employees that are left to have a lighter workload and potentially have lower stress levels. This can also help with turnover rates in the farm, which can be a problem for many farmers that have high turnover of workers.
6. More Time For Innovation
With more free time, farmers may find themselves coming up with new innovations or services for their farm or even a new product that may be profitable for them. The less time they spend working on labor-intensive tasks, the more time they can spend innovating.
7. Improved Working Conditions
A lack of automation has been shown to negatively affect employees and how they feel about their work environment. In addition, automation can cause injury to employees because of the lack of awareness of risks and proper safety protocols.
In the dairy industry, this has led to numerous injuries and deaths. There are more automation systems used on farms today to help reduce employee injuries in many farming industries (e.g., mechanical farming equipment such as tractors and combines).
8. Food Safety
Dairy products are some of the most food safety-sensitive products that a farm has. If they are not handled properly, they can lead to food contamination or even harm consumers when they eat the product.
Automation can be helpful in ensuring that dairy products are properly prepared and processed before sale (products such as pasteurized milk). For example, milk can be transported from the farm to the processing plant via automated milking systems.
9. Business Growth
Automation software and products can be very profitable for a farm as it helps them grow their bottom line. For example, if a farmer spends time developing a new product or formulation (e.g., cheese), they can incorporate that into their computer automation program to allow them to track how many times they sell the product or how much they make on it. They may even want to invest in a new robotic milking system as automation helps reduce labor costs and produce more profit.
How Automation Can Help Improve Dairy Farm Efficiency
With a brand value of around 8.21 billion US dollars in 2010, the French dairy firm Danone was the second largest dairy corporation in the world. Yili, a Chinese dairy manufacturer, was ranked top that year, with a brand worth of about $9.6 billion USD.
Automation products such as robotic milking systems can help farmers to manage their dairies much more efficiently. This can help improve their bottom line as it helps with profits and safety on the farm. The following are some of the ways that dairy farmers can benefit from dairy farm automation:
1. Increased Output
Increased production is always a good thing for any farm. There are several ways that automation may help with this goal, one of which is by greatly increasing the amount of milk produced from each cow per day.
2. Improved Quality
Automation can help ensure that there is less impaction of milk in the system while it is being transported to the processing plant. Impaction occurs when the milk is either too cold or too hot and can end up destroying the product and making it unmarketable.
This can happen for a number of reasons, such as not allowing enough time for the milk to warm up before being sent down the pipeline. An automated milking system helps make sure that this doesn’t happen by monitoring how long it takes to move from one station to another.
3. More Efficient Production
When milk is left in an automated milking barn to ferment for 10 days, there are many advantages for farmers and customers as well. For example, the milk that follows fermentation may be of a higher quality and have a longer shelf life.
It also leads to a reduction in waste as less of it will be rejected. In addition, the automated milking system can help reduce the risk exposure for farmers and handlers by greatly reducing exposure to dairy-borne diseases (such as bovine tuberculosis or bovine viral diarrhea).
The Impact Of Automation On Dairy Farm Labor
In 2020, the United States produced around 226.2 billion pounds of milk for human consumption. This sum was around 167.4 billion pounds in 2000. Over the last few years, the global production of cow milk has significantly increased.
Industry experts predict that automation in dairy farming will continue to grow at an alarming rate. This will likely impact employees in the dairy industry. Here are some of the ways that automation can impact farm labor:
1. Reduced Turnover
Automation will lead to a decline in farm labor. As more and more farmers adopt this technology, there will be fewer entry-level jobs for farmworkers to take on for their first employment experience.
For example, farmers may choose not to hire lower-skilled workers to avoid them from being injured due to lack of training and understanding of the ways that technology works on farms.
2. Lack Of Training And Knowledge
As a farmworker in an automated milking system, you may need to have the proper training and knowledge to operate it. If the farmer does not give you this training, then this can lead to injury for both employees and equipment. For example, if you are wearing gloves that are too small for you, they may become ripped or damaged from being caught on the equipment’s moving parts.
3. Larger Workload
The technology on dairy farms is becoming more sophisticated by the day. As a result, farmers will need to invest more time and money into training new employees on how to use it.
This may lead to a significant increase in the amount of work needed for farm workers because it may be difficult for them to completely understand everything. This will likely also increase the number of employees that are needed on a farm as it takes more time and effort to operate all of these sophisticated machines.
Final Note
While milk production has increased in recent years, milk retail sales have been declining. Milk retail prices peaked in 2014 at 3.82 US dollars a gallon and have since fluctuated. In 2020, the retail price was approximately 2.54 US dollars per gallon.
A dairy farm is the hub of a farm’s operations and work. These farms can be large or small, they can have specialized equipment or not, but the main goal is usually to get as much milk from the cow as possible.
While technologies such as robotic milking systems help farmers to increase their outputs, this does not necessarily mean that labor costs will go down, which could result in changes in dairy production models.
Last Updated on October 11, 2023 by Priyanshi Sharma
