Acute labour shortages are not only lifting the overhead costs of producing milk in developed dairy regions, but are forcing many producers to exit as they simply can’t operate their facilities.

In the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW), the state Department of Primary Industries is launching a world-first tool, the AMS Integrated Management Model, to assist dairy farmers’ decision making when using automatic milking systems. The tool integrates commercial farm data obtained across multiple locations and years and will help farmers plan and optimise performance of the system.

Milking Edge is a joint initiative of Dairy Australia, the NSW Department of Primary Industries and DeLaval and aims to create tools and resources that minimise risks and maximise likelihood of successful transition to automated milk system. The tools creator DPI developer Juan Gargiulo said his creation will allow users to benchmark a range of key performance insights against five years of economic and physical data from Australia and overseas which is behind the tool.

The aim is to help farmers identify ways to optimise performance of the automation by targeting higher litres of milk per robot. Farmers in Australia, Ireland and New Zealand have tested the tool, which showed extremely positive and encouraging results.