What can an AMS do?

An Automated Milking System CAN...	An Automated Milking System CANNOT...
Admit cow to milking stall	Bring cows in to milking station
Identify cow	Distinguish teats from dirty hair on udder
Determine the expected yield or milking frequency to decide when cow is due to be milked	Milk cows with unsuitable udder conformation
Decide whether cow is due to be milked, based on operator settings	Treat sick cows
Dispense feed, as per operator settings	Call the veterinarian
Determine the level of concentrate feeding for the cows	Inseminate cows
Clean teats	Cure cows already infected with mastitis
Attach teat cups	Manage and deliver roughage feeding
Remove teat cups when flow rate falls to pre-determined level	Clean down the milking area
Spray post milking teat disinfection	Order semen
Allow cow to leave stall	Refill chemical containers
Reject milk, as per operator settings	Order new supplies of feed and chemicals
Record milk yield Sort or select cows based on specific criteria (e.g. milk quality alert, activity alert, failed milking)	Replace worn or damaged rubber components
Access and report on milk quality using in-line sensors that measure electrical conductivity, blood and SCC	Service itself
Raise alarm lists, as per operator settings	Become frustrated and angry and fail to turn up to work!
Page the operator in emergency, as per operator settings
When combined with a cow traffic management system it can also manage paddock grazing.

(Adapted from Baines 2002), with permission

Dairy NZ