Robots already build cars, clean our homes and amuse our children, so why can’t they milk our cows? One farmer is already on his way to a fortune by employing automatons as milk maids!

Fred Harvey switched his farm to robotic milking in October 2006, and has managed to increase the yield from his herd of 125 cows by a million litres ever since.

The cows, now used to the procedure, didn’t much like it at first though.

“At the beginning, everything was new to the herd, which numbered 100 cows,” Mr Harvey explained to Farmers Weekly. “Building layout had changed and cows had the freedom of fresh grass paddocks as well as freedom to be milked when they chose either of the two Lely Astronaut robotic milkers.”

So the cows are now milked whenever they feel like it, and the farmer gets more milk from each one, and a tidy profit to boot? Sounds like heaven for the heard and businessman alike.

“We are currently aiming to produce between 6000 and 6400 litres every two days all year round from 109 milking cows,” he explained, adding: “We hope to keep cows longer, extending their life from five to seven lactations.”

See, robots aren’t all evil. These ones are giving freedom, and a longer life to cows. Nice work all round!

via Farmers Weekly