Robotic milkers produce big data for UConn's lauded dairy herd

Robotic milkers are helping UConn's nationally acclaimed dairy herd run away from the pack. In May, UConn Storrs became the first campus in the nation to launch an automatic milking system that allows its pack of dairy cows to be milked when they're ready, rather than on a set, three-times-a-day schedule. In addition to freeing up UConn staff from the utterly monotonous work of milking, the on-demand, technology-driven system also allows the school's researchers to better track and manage the health of its herd. UConn is using two, $200,000 robots in addition to sensors that collect real-time data 24 hours a day to predict the healthfulness of about 88 cows and monitor their physical environment. The school added 3,000 square feet at its dairy center to house the new machines.