Coon Brothers’ dairy cows embrace new automated milking system

AMENIA — Amid unanimous favorable reports from the herd, Coon Brothers dairy farm in Amenia held an open barn on Sunday, Dec. 1, inviting contractors and friends to visit the cows and see their new automatic milking system that has brought robotics to the modern dairy industry.

Coon Brothers has used GEA equipment for milking over the years, so co-owners Peter and Amos Coon indicated that GEA Dairy Robot equipment was chosen to automate their operation, requiring a long period of construction.

The preceding year had been given to renovating the barns in preparation for installation of the robotic equipment that began in the spring and continued into July. Six robotic milking stations have been installed and all are now kept busy throughout the day.

Fully automated milking systems have been installed at Coon Brothers Farm in Amenia. Computers at each milking station monitor quantity and quality. Visitors were invited to an open barn tour on Sunday, Dec. 1, to see the new systems at work.Photo by Leila Hawken

Each cow decides for herself when to go in for milking, the decision prompted by discomfort. Observation showed that the cows placidly await their turns without disagreements or jostling for position.

“The difference is the cow’s comfort,” Amos explained. “Now they are getting milked when they want to,” he added.

The farm has a population of 600 animals with 350 milk cows, including Guernseys and Holsteins, divided between two barns, Peter Coon said.

“The system is better for the cows and it will save labor,” said Coon. “and the cows seem to like it.”

The computerized system monitors each cow, recognizing individuals by a computer chip attached to the cow’s collar. During each milking session, the cow’s milk production and quality of the milk are instantly measured and tested, with any problems detected and dealt with.

The system isolates and collects data from each quarter of the cow’s udder.

Cows residing in the milking barn are there all the time, Amos Coon said. “The new system has changed how we do everything.”

In the barn the cows munch on molasses flavored silage but get a treat in the milking stall in the form of custom grain.

Milk output is measured in pounds, not gallons. One cow can produce 20 pounds of milk in a single milking session, Amos explained. They go for milking more than once a day; some cows may give as much as 140 pounds of milk in a single day. Genetics contribute to a top-producing cow, Amos said.

A cow that has recently calved gives more milk, with increased production lasting 50-200 days. A newborn calf will only suckle for 12 hours before being shifted to manual feeding of bovine colostrum which is separated from the cow’s milk production by the robotic system.

In the event of a power outage, a generator keeps the systems going.

A large 6,000 gallon milk collection tank holds the milk until a tanker truck takes it away.

Robotic milking is not new to the area. Freund’s Farm in East Canaan has also installed automated milking with good results.