Online Milk Sensing Issues for Automatic Milking

A review of the state-of-the-art sensing technology for automatic milking systems (AMS) suggests that while the sensing systems currently being used lack the sensitivity for automated diversion of ‘abnormal’ milk, they do provide sufficient information for motivated dairy producers to achieve milk quality that meets or exceeds national averages. Electrical conductivity and milk color are the most widely used on-line milk sensing methods and deviation in milk yield and milking interval are widely used supporting diagnostic techniques. A number of other methods using visible and other light spectra have shown promise in detecting milk abnormalities and measuring various components of milk. Several methods of measuring the Somatic Cell Count of milk at cow-side have been demonstrated and may be applied to AMS in the near future. Developments in AMS milk sensing systems point toward the use of inputs from a number of sources including milk composition, animal behaviors, and milking characteristics combined and analyzed by centralized ‘smart’ system to improve diagnostic accuracy.