Dairy Forage Seminar: Precision Milking Research on Automatic Milking Systems

Presenter: Elizabeth French, Ph.D., Res. Animal Scientist, Dairy Forage Research Unit, Madison, Wis.
Continuing Education Credits: (1) ARPAS; (1) Crop Management, CCA

Precision milking management on farms with automatic milking systems (AMS) has implications on long-term milk production of Holsteins in early lactation by varying milking frequency. Health indicators suggest there are benefits and pitfalls to altering milking frequency in the first 30 days of lactation. Additional research has demonstrated altering milking permissions of mid-lactation primiparous and multiparous Holsteins alters animal behavior and has consequences when managing AMS farms. Research into precision milking management on farms with AMS has identified precision feeding opportunities within subsets of cows that precision agriculture can identify.

Elizabeth French, Ph.D., is an established dairy nutritionist with over 12 years in the private industry sector. Her previous experience involved advising farms globally with conventional and automatic milking systems with on-farm nutrition, ration balancing, on-farm management practices and data management to improve animal health and profitability. As a Research Animal Scientist at the Dairy Forage Research Unit, her research objectives are aggregating animal data to develop algorithms for designing rations and rumen microbiome modifications that aim to enhance farm sustainability.