The one common goal of all is to relieve the dairyman of the routine functions involved with the prepping and milking of the cows with much more information as to milk production not only by cow but by each teat. Several robots are of unitized construction, meaning that they are shipped completely assembled and can be put in place by crane and provided water and power is close at hand can be running within one or two days. Europe has been the leader in installations with the number now in use at approximately two to three thousand. Total computer monitored data available to analyze each cow and each teat for milk production along with the number of milking's and duration of each visit. 24 hour availability of the cows to visit the robot for milking, the term used by DeLaval is voluntary milking's.
Computer skills are necessary to pull up data that is generated by the robot.
Daily first hand knowledge as to animal and udder health is lost or slighted. Should power go down or should mechanical or electronic problems occur how soon will a trained technician be available. Inflation design and the materials that can be used could change considerably since there is no hanging claw as now found and the need for the milk tube to shut off by design will no longer be valid because of electronic sensors shutting off the vacuum. In one case a twin hose conveys the pulsation vacuum through one side and the milk from the cow to the receiver on the other side. Inflations not falling onto the floor and the lack of claw cutting will make silicone inflations the material of choice.