The productivity of dairy cows on farms using milking robots – based on data from the Podlaskie Voivodship

Abstract

Robotic milking systems represent one of the key technologies automating milk production, integrating advanced mechanics, vision systems, and data-driven analysis. Their implementation influences labor efficiency, animal welfare, and the overall quality of the obtained raw material. An examination of their adoption in the Podlaskie region provides insight into their significance for the development of local dairy farms between 2019 and 2024. The article presents changes in herd size, milk yield, and milk quality of cows milked by robots in the Podlaskie Voivodship from 2019 to 2024, comparing them with the results obtained in the conventional milking system. During the study period, the total herd size more than doubled, which indicates the growing popularity of automatic milking technology. Milk yield remained stable until 2023, then increased to 11.18 thous. kg per cow per year in 2024, accompanied by a simultaneous reduction in the differences between farms. The fat and protein content of milk remained relatively stable in the early years, before showing a marked increase in the last year of the analysis and a more even level between herds. In all the parameters studied, robot-milked herds had an advantage over farms using conventional milking, indicating the growing efficiency and quality of production in automated systems.