WEBVTT 00:00:11.720 --> 00:00:15.060 Breaking free from the chains of the past Where 00:00:15.060 --> 00:00:18.820 truth moves faster than a Holstein calf No law 00:00:18.820 --> 00:00:21.660 waiting on some printed page We're charting new 00:00:21.660 --> 00:00:25.300 ground in the digital age From genomic codes 00:00:25.300 --> 00:00:29.120 to robot facts We cut through the noise, no hold 00:00:29.280 --> 00:00:32.460 them back not your daddy's dairy news tonight 00:00:32.460 --> 00:01:02.979 we're sparking Welcome to the Bullvine Podcast, 00:01:03.479 --> 00:01:06.780 your go -to spot for bold, no -nonsense insights 00:01:06.780 --> 00:01:10.120 on the dairy industry. Today, we're diving into 00:01:10.120 --> 00:01:12.640 a hot topic impacting dairy farmers everywhere, 00:01:12.959 --> 00:01:15.859 the growing automation gap, and what it means 00:01:15.859 --> 00:01:18.000 for the future of your farm's productivity and 00:01:18.000 --> 00:01:20.879 profitability. Stay with us as we unpack the 00:01:20.879 --> 00:01:23.519 challenges, trends, and real -world strategies 00:01:23.519 --> 00:01:26.379 that can help you compete and thrive in today's 00:01:26.379 --> 00:01:30.060 rapidly evolving livestock landscape. So grab 00:01:30.060 --> 00:01:32.780 your coffee, find a comfortable seat, and let's 00:01:32.780 --> 00:01:35.239 get after it. Welcome back to the Bullvine Podcast, 00:01:35.700 --> 00:01:37.920 the show that digs deep into the topics that 00:01:37.920 --> 00:01:40.459 matter to dairy producers. That's right. Today 00:01:40.459 --> 00:01:42.459 we're tackling a really interesting feature article 00:01:42.459 --> 00:01:44.280 from the Bullvine that's got everyone talking. 00:01:44.439 --> 00:01:46.140 We're going to break it all down. And it's a 00:01:46.140 --> 00:01:48.680 crucial one, focusing on automation. The article 00:01:48.680 --> 00:01:52.200 kicks off with this really vivid image. It really 00:01:52.200 --> 00:01:56.180 does. Picture this. It's 4 a .m. You're heading 00:01:56.180 --> 00:01:58.519 out to milk, right? And you look over at your 00:01:58.519 --> 00:02:01.480 neighbor's poultry barns. Yeah. Completely silent 00:02:01.480 --> 00:02:06.519 at 5 a .m., just quiet. But inside, 25 ,000 birds 00:02:06.519 --> 00:02:09.819 are being handled automatically. Fed, watered, 00:02:09.819 --> 00:02:12.139 climate control, everything, while the farmer 00:02:12.139 --> 00:02:14.789 might still be asleep. Wow. That really hammers 00:02:14.789 --> 00:02:17.449 on the point, doesn't it? The core competitive 00:02:17.449 --> 00:02:19.830 disadvantage for traditional dairy right now 00:02:19.830 --> 00:02:21.990 because of labor. Absolutely. The article lays 00:02:21.990 --> 00:02:24.270 out the numbers pretty starkly. Dairy folks are 00:02:24.270 --> 00:02:26.289 spending, what, 20 to 30 percent of their production 00:02:26.289 --> 00:02:28.909 budget just on labor? Yeah, a huge chunk. Now, 00:02:28.909 --> 00:02:31.150 compare that. Those automated boiler houses, 00:02:31.289 --> 00:02:34.330 it's like 1 .6 to 2 .4 percent. Tiny fraction. 00:02:34.650 --> 00:02:37.110 And even pig farming is lower, around 9 percent, 00:02:37.150 --> 00:02:39.169 I think it said. Exactly. It's not just a gap. 00:02:39.310 --> 00:02:42.349 It's, well, it's a chasm. And that translates 00:02:42.349 --> 00:02:44.889 into real dollars. For a million pound operation, 00:02:45.050 --> 00:02:49.389 the article estimates upwards of $150 ,000 a 00:02:49.389 --> 00:02:52.370 year disadvantage. Right off the top. And that's 00:02:52.370 --> 00:02:54.590 before you even think about the sheer headache 00:02:54.590 --> 00:02:57.050 of finding reliable workers, especially for, 00:02:57.110 --> 00:02:59.349 you know, holidays or weekends. Oh, yeah. It's 00:02:59.349 --> 00:03:01.909 relentless. So when you see those numbers, it 00:03:01.909 --> 00:03:04.889 makes sense why this gap is seen as, well, potentially 00:03:04.889 --> 00:03:08.169 redefining the industry. For sure. And this leads 00:03:08.169 --> 00:03:10.490 right into the automation data in dairy itself. 00:03:10.710 --> 00:03:12.590 There's some interesting Cornell research mentioned. 00:03:12.770 --> 00:03:14.490 Right. The farms that have adopted automation, 00:03:14.810 --> 00:03:17.969 they're seeing significant cuts in labor costs. 00:03:18.599 --> 00:03:21.360 over 21 % on average. And some are getting close 00:03:21.360 --> 00:03:24.400 to 29 % savings. Huge numbers. But here's the 00:03:24.400 --> 00:03:27.439 weird part, the kicker, right? Only about 5 % 00:03:27.439 --> 00:03:30.300 of U .S. dairies are actually using robotic milking 00:03:30.300 --> 00:03:32.560 systems. It feels like a mismatch. It really 00:03:32.560 --> 00:03:35.539 does. But get this, that tiny 5%, they're producing 00:03:35.539 --> 00:03:38.159 something like 45 % of the nation's milk. 45 00:03:38.159 --> 00:03:42.379 % from just 5 % of the farms. Yeah. That tells 00:03:42.379 --> 00:03:45.060 you just how incredibly impactful this technology 00:03:45.060 --> 00:03:48.189 is, even with low adoption rates so far. So connecting 00:03:48.189 --> 00:03:51.629 those dots, this labor automation gap, it's not 00:03:51.629 --> 00:03:53.530 just some side issue. It seems like it's the 00:03:53.530 --> 00:03:56.810 main thing driving consolidation. I think the 00:03:56.810 --> 00:03:58.590 article makes a strong case for that. And it's 00:03:58.590 --> 00:04:00.530 not happening slowly either. It says the pace 00:04:00.530 --> 00:04:03.509 is accelerating faster than maybe people realize. 00:04:03.889 --> 00:04:07.449 It's shifting from if to when for a lot of farms, 00:04:07.590 --> 00:04:09.870 it sounds like. Yeah, definitely. So how did 00:04:09.870 --> 00:04:12.370 other sectors handle this, like poultry or swine? 00:04:12.389 --> 00:04:15.090 Did they face similar pressures? Well, they found 00:04:15.090 --> 00:04:17.350 their own paths kind of driven by different things. 00:04:17.649 --> 00:04:20.310 Poultry is interesting. Also. The big players, 00:04:20.550 --> 00:04:23.550 you know, Tyson, Purdue, they basically told 00:04:23.550 --> 00:04:26.110 their contract growers, you will use this specific 00:04:26.110 --> 00:04:28.810 equipment. They mandated it. Pretty much. And 00:04:28.810 --> 00:04:31.930 just like that, boom, a $2 billion North American 00:04:31.930 --> 00:04:34.189 automation market was born. They guaranteed the 00:04:34.189 --> 00:04:36.550 demand. And the result. Modern broiler house, 00:04:36.889 --> 00:04:40.230 25 ,000 birds, less than one full -time employee 00:04:40.230 --> 00:04:42.629 needed per house. Just incredible efficiency. 00:04:43.029 --> 00:04:45.509 Wow. Okay, so that was integrator -driven. What 00:04:45.509 --> 00:04:48.009 about swine? What pushed them? For swine, it 00:04:48.009 --> 00:04:50.329 was more about animal welfare pressure. Things 00:04:50.329 --> 00:04:53.930 like California's Prop 12 rules in the EU, pushing 00:04:53.930 --> 00:04:56.389 away from gestation stalls. Ah, right. Group 00:04:56.389 --> 00:05:00.009 housing. Exactly. Which led to the rise of electronic 00:05:00.009 --> 00:05:03.509 sow feeders, ESF systems, you know, RFID tags, 00:05:03.750 --> 00:05:05.810 individual feeding in a group setting. Clever 00:05:05.810 --> 00:05:08.430 tech. And that market's growing. Big time. The 00:05:08.430 --> 00:05:10.629 article projects it'll double. From about $1 00:05:10.629 --> 00:05:15.449 .3 billion now to nearly $2 .7 billion by 2032. 00:05:15.829 --> 00:05:18.269 That's a serious trend. And it works in practice, 00:05:18.350 --> 00:05:20.370 too. There's a case study, right? An international 00:05:20.370 --> 00:05:22.730 swine operation. Yeah, cut their workforce from 00:05:22.730 --> 00:05:25.170 25 people down to 10. Well, increasing output. 00:05:25.410 --> 00:05:28.149 Yep. Went from 25 weaned piglets per sow per 00:05:28.149 --> 00:05:31.740 year up to 28. So fewer people. More production. 00:05:31.800 --> 00:05:34.120 That's the automation promise, really. So, okay, 00:05:34.180 --> 00:05:37.259 poultry and swine found ways. Why is dairy struggling 00:05:37.259 --> 00:05:39.420 so much more with the labor side? Why can't we 00:05:39.420 --> 00:05:42.120 just copy them? Well, dairy has some unique hurdles. 00:05:42.240 --> 00:05:44.959 First off, the workforce is getting older. USDA 00:05:44.959 --> 00:05:47.240 data shows foreign -born farm workers' average 00:05:47.240 --> 00:05:50.360 age climbed quite a bit between 2006 and 2022. 00:05:50.879 --> 00:05:52.800 And that's a big deal because... Because immigrant 00:05:52.800 --> 00:05:56.019 workers are absolutely crucial. They make up 00:05:56.019 --> 00:05:59.920 over half, 51 % of the labor on U .S. dairy farms. 00:06:00.079 --> 00:06:03.410 Wow. And they produce nearly 80 % of the milk. 00:06:03.850 --> 00:06:06.170 Some experts think the dependency is even higher, 00:06:06.290 --> 00:06:09.329 maybe 60%. 80 % of the milk comes from farms 00:06:09.329 --> 00:06:12.410 relying on immigrant labor. That's staggering. 00:06:12.670 --> 00:06:15.329 It is. And then you hit the regulatory wall, 00:06:15.490 --> 00:06:18.810 the H -2A visa program. The one for farm labor. 00:06:19.110 --> 00:06:21.509 Yeah, but it's designed by law for temporary 00:06:21.509 --> 00:06:24.699 or seasonal work. Think harvesting crops. But 00:06:24.699 --> 00:06:26.819 dairy isn't seasonal. You need milkers every 00:06:26.819 --> 00:06:30.420 single day, 365 days a year. Exactly. So the 00:06:30.420 --> 00:06:32.579 program is basically useless for dairy's year 00:06:32.579 --> 00:06:35.319 -round needs. It puts farmers in a bind that, 00:06:35.379 --> 00:06:37.540 say, crop farmers don't face in the same way. 00:06:37.699 --> 00:06:39.899 An impossible position, really. And what happens 00:06:39.899 --> 00:06:41.420 when you have high demand and restricted supply 00:06:41.420 --> 00:06:44.420 of labor? Wages go up. Way up. Bingo. The article 00:06:44.420 --> 00:06:46.740 mentions $22 an hour in California's Central 00:06:46.740 --> 00:06:51.259 Valley, Wisconsin seeing $18, maybe $20, especially 00:06:51.259 --> 00:06:53.620 if you need reliable weekend help. At those wage 00:06:53.620 --> 00:06:55.899 rates, suddenly the cost of robots doesn't look 00:06:55.899 --> 00:06:59.589 so bad. Precisely. the payback period just collapses. 00:06:59.990 --> 00:07:02.610 Down to maybe three or four years in some cases, 00:07:02.709 --> 00:07:04.470 it becomes almost a no -brainer financially. 00:07:04.829 --> 00:07:06.889 But it's getting even worse than just cost, isn't 00:07:06.889 --> 00:07:09.310 it? Yeah, the article notes, some farms in the 00:07:09.310 --> 00:07:11.610 Central Valley have had help -wanted signs for 00:07:11.610 --> 00:07:14.529 eight months straight. Eight months. And they 00:07:14.529 --> 00:07:17.290 just can't find people at any price. Yeah. It's 00:07:17.290 --> 00:07:19.009 not about affording labor anymore. It's about 00:07:19.009 --> 00:07:21.250 finding it at all. That's a crisis. It really 00:07:21.250 --> 00:07:23.189 is. And it plays out differently depending on 00:07:23.189 --> 00:07:25.449 where you are. You know, California squeezing 00:07:25.449 --> 00:07:28.529 smaller dairies, Wisconsin's family labor tradition 00:07:28.529 --> 00:07:32.149 changing, Idaho building new and automated, Texas 00:07:32.149 --> 00:07:34.889 kind of a mix, the Northeast adopting fast because 00:07:34.889 --> 00:07:38.209 costs are so high. It's complex. So labor savings 00:07:38.209 --> 00:07:41.410 are the obvious push. But the article argues 00:07:41.410 --> 00:07:43.269 there's a lot more to it, right? The benefits 00:07:43.269 --> 00:07:45.069 go beyond just cutting staff. Oh, absolutely. 00:07:45.250 --> 00:07:48.410 That Cornell research. Yes, 21, 29 percent labor 00:07:48.410 --> 00:07:50.910 cost reduction is great. But the article calls 00:07:50.910 --> 00:07:53.069 that just the entry fee. OK, so what's the bonus? 00:07:53.689 --> 00:07:57.209 Milk production, for one, big one. 58 % of farms 00:07:57.209 --> 00:08:00.089 that put in automated milking systems, AMS, report 00:08:00.089 --> 00:08:02.930 higher production. Higher. How much? Typically 00:08:02.930 --> 00:08:06.089 5 % to 10 % more milk. It's because cows can 00:08:06.089 --> 00:08:08.230 choose to be milked more often, especially fresh 00:08:08.230 --> 00:08:11.649 cows, maybe three times a day or more voluntarily. 00:08:12.360 --> 00:08:14.439 Instead of just twice a day in a conventional 00:08:14.439 --> 00:08:17.120 setup. Exactly. Every extra trip to the robot 00:08:17.120 --> 00:08:19.519 is more potential yield. Let's put numbers on 00:08:19.519 --> 00:08:22.959 that. A 500 -cow herd, say, averaging 70 pounds 00:08:22.959 --> 00:08:26.959 a day, a 7 % increase. Okay. 70 pounds times 00:08:26.959 --> 00:08:30.819 500 cows is 35 ,000 pounds. 7 % of that is 2 00:08:30.819 --> 00:08:36.139 ,450 extra pounds per day. Wow. 2 ,450 pounds 00:08:36.139 --> 00:08:39.659 daily. What's that worth? $22 per 100 weight 00:08:39.659 --> 00:08:42.519 and a brute. Let's see. 24 .500 weight times 00:08:42.519 --> 00:08:46.440 $22. That's about $539 extra every single day. 00:08:46.600 --> 00:08:50.340 $539 a day annually. Over $196 ,000 a year. Just 00:08:50.340 --> 00:08:52.399 from the melt increase, that alone could justify 00:08:52.399 --> 00:08:54.639 the robot investment for many. Easily. And that's 00:08:54.639 --> 00:08:56.440 before you even look at feed efficiency. Right. 00:08:56.480 --> 00:08:58.360 The automated feeding systems. TMR consistency. 00:08:58.779 --> 00:09:00.879 Exactly. Robots mix it the same way every time. 00:09:01.000 --> 00:09:04.779 Humans. Not always. Plus, they reduce waste significantly. 00:09:05.100 --> 00:09:07.820 The article mentioned 1 ,000 cow operations saving 00:09:07.820 --> 00:09:10.620 maybe $50 ,000 a year just from better mixing 00:09:10.620 --> 00:09:13.360 and less feed refusal. $50 ,000 is not small 00:09:13.360 --> 00:09:15.980 change. Not at all. And then there's the health 00:09:15.980 --> 00:09:18.440 side. This part's really fascinating. The sensors, 00:09:18.740 --> 00:09:22.940 monitoring mastitis, lameness. Yeah. Those systems 00:09:22.940 --> 00:09:26.360 apparently have the fastest ROI of almost any 00:09:26.360 --> 00:09:30.059 dairy tech. Payback in just over two years, like 00:09:30.059 --> 00:09:34.509 2 .1 years on average. How? By catching problems 00:09:34.509 --> 00:09:37.750 earlier. Precisely. Catching one mastitis case 00:09:37.750 --> 00:09:41.309 early saves you, what, $300 to $500? Spotting 00:09:41.309 --> 00:09:43.470 lameness before it gets bad can save over $1 00:09:43.470 --> 00:09:46.590 ,000 per cow, considering treatment, lost milk, 00:09:46.730 --> 00:09:49.389 replacement costs. So it shifts you from reacting 00:09:49.389 --> 00:09:52.350 to problems to proactively managing health. Totally. 00:09:52.370 --> 00:09:54.250 You're ahead of the curve. You know, it's not 00:09:54.250 --> 00:09:56.129 just the business metrics, though. That quote 00:09:56.129 --> 00:09:57.809 from the Wisconsin film really stuck with me. 00:09:57.830 --> 00:09:59.409 It's fun about his son's football games. Yeah. 00:09:59.809 --> 00:10:02.149 Saying the robots weren't just about saving labor, 00:10:02.269 --> 00:10:04.490 but about finally being able to go watch his 00:10:04.490 --> 00:10:06.590 kid play on a Friday night. That quality of life 00:10:06.590 --> 00:10:09.389 aspect. It's huge. Often overlooked, but maybe 00:10:09.389 --> 00:10:11.730 the most valuable benefit for many people. Yeah. 00:10:11.830 --> 00:10:13.750 Making the whole lifestyle sustainable, right? 00:10:13.889 --> 00:10:16.049 Yeah. That freedom. Yeah. It surprises us sometimes. 00:10:16.389 --> 00:10:18.870 Definitely. But, okay, the tech is powerful, 00:10:19.070 --> 00:10:22.559 but the article stresses it's not magic. Management 00:10:22.559 --> 00:10:25.700 is the key ingredient. Absolutely critical. And 00:10:25.700 --> 00:10:28.019 the data backs this up strongly. There's this 00:10:28.019 --> 00:10:31.139 huge performance gap between AMS farms. How big 00:10:31.139 --> 00:10:34.720 a gap? The top 25 % get around 4 ,200 pounds 00:10:34.720 --> 00:10:37.700 of milk per robot per day. Right. The bottom 00:10:37.700 --> 00:10:42.100 25%. Only 2 ,900 pounds. Wow, that's over 40 00:10:42.100 --> 00:10:44.899 % difference with the same machines. 42 % difference, 00:10:45.059 --> 00:10:47.539 yeah. Same hardware, vastly different results. 00:10:47.840 --> 00:10:50.730 It proves automation is an amplifier. It amplifies 00:10:50.730 --> 00:10:53.190 good management, but it also amplifies poor management. 00:10:53.350 --> 00:10:55.830 Exactly. If your underlying systems or management 00:10:55.830 --> 00:10:58.330 practices are weak, the robots won't fix that. 00:10:58.529 --> 00:11:00.529 They might even make things worse or just be 00:11:00.529 --> 00:11:02.889 incredibly inefficient. So what are the top performers 00:11:02.889 --> 00:11:04.809 doing differently? What's their secret sauce? 00:11:05.309 --> 00:11:07.409 It's not really a secret, just good discipline. 00:11:07.629 --> 00:11:10.230 They live by the data -checking robot metrics 00:11:10.230 --> 00:11:14.330 daily. They obsess over cow flow. A bad barn 00:11:14.330 --> 00:11:17.149 layout kills robot efficiency. Makes sense. Cows 00:11:17.149 --> 00:11:19.600 have to get there easily. Right. They stick to 00:11:19.600 --> 00:11:21.500 preventive maintenance schedules religiously. 00:11:21.759 --> 00:11:24.340 And crucially, they train everyone, not just 00:11:24.340 --> 00:11:26.639 the herd manager, but all staff who interact 00:11:26.639 --> 00:11:29.320 with the system. That's a big one. Often missed, 00:11:29.399 --> 00:11:31.580 I bet. They're always looking to tweak and improve, 00:11:31.879 --> 00:11:34.799 continuous improvement. The bottom performers, 00:11:35.059 --> 00:11:37.899 the article kind of implies they just install 00:11:37.899 --> 00:11:40.259 it and hope for the best. Install and hope isn't 00:11:40.259 --> 00:11:42.340 much of a strategy. Not for getting the most 00:11:42.340 --> 00:11:44.740 out of a major investment, no. Okay, so this 00:11:44.740 --> 00:11:47.169 all paints a picture of, well... The article 00:11:47.169 --> 00:11:49.710 calls it a great divide in the industry. Which 00:11:49.710 --> 00:11:51.870 brings us to the future outlook and how farms 00:11:51.870 --> 00:11:53.809 can actually navigate this. Yeah, that divide 00:11:53.809 --> 00:11:57.490 is stark. Remember the numbers. Only 13 % of 00:11:57.490 --> 00:12:00.330 farms use computerized milking, but they account 00:12:00.330 --> 00:12:03.070 for 45 % of the milk. And the only farm size 00:12:03.070 --> 00:12:05.429 category actually growing is the really big ones, 00:12:05.529 --> 00:12:08.919 2 ,500 cows plus. Those leaders are hitting incredible 00:12:08.919 --> 00:12:12.179 efficiency numbers, like 100, 120 cows per full 00:12:12.179 --> 00:12:14.379 -time employee. Double the industry average. 00:12:14.659 --> 00:12:17.100 Double. But what about the mid -sized guys? The 00:12:17.100 --> 00:12:20.840 100 to, say, 500 cow dairies? The article sounds 00:12:20.840 --> 00:12:23.220 pretty grim for them. It calls it an existential 00:12:23.220 --> 00:12:25.740 squeeze. They're often too small for the huge 00:12:25.740 --> 00:12:28.419 AMS setups, but too big now for just family labor. 00:12:28.980 --> 00:12:31.200 Census data show they took a big hit recently. 00:12:31.580 --> 00:12:34.879 So is it hopeless for them? Or are there strategies? 00:12:35.320 --> 00:12:37.779 No, not hopeless. But they need to be smart. 00:12:38.039 --> 00:12:39.940 There's a great example in the article of 500 00:12:39.940 --> 00:12:42.519 Cal Wisconsin Farm. What did they do? Invested 00:12:42.519 --> 00:12:46.039 about $380 ,000 in two AMS units and automated 00:12:46.039 --> 00:12:49.340 feed pushers. Saved $85 ,000 a year by cutting 00:12:49.340 --> 00:12:52.820 3 .250 E's. Yeah. Payback in about 4 .5 years. 00:12:52.980 --> 00:12:55.360 Okay. So it is possible. The lesson seems to 00:12:55.360 --> 00:12:58.019 be start smart. Don't try to do everything at 00:12:58.019 --> 00:13:00.059 once. Exactly. Target your biggest pain point 00:13:00.059 --> 00:13:02.200 first. Maybe it's labor for milking. Maybe it's 00:13:02.200 --> 00:13:04.559 feed consistency. So if someone listening is 00:13:04.559 --> 00:13:06.240 trying to figure out where to start, does the 00:13:06.240 --> 00:13:08.879 article offer a kind of roadmap, a decision tree? 00:13:09.139 --> 00:13:10.840 Yeah, it lays out some practical steps based 00:13:10.840 --> 00:13:14.159 on size. For smaller herds, 150, 300 cows. Maybe 00:13:14.159 --> 00:13:15.940 start with automated ID and health monitoring. 00:13:16.120 --> 00:13:18.860 Lower cost entry point. Right, like 25K to 40K. 00:13:18.960 --> 00:13:21.000 Good ROI, gets you used to managing with data. 00:13:21.120 --> 00:13:23.580 For 300, 600 cows, maybe look at partial stuff 00:13:23.580 --> 00:13:26.559 first. Feed pushers, sort gates, then plan for 00:13:26.559 --> 00:13:28.809 AMS when you expand or build new. And the bigger 00:13:28.809 --> 00:13:32.690 guys, over 600. They're likely already deep into 00:13:32.690 --> 00:13:35.370 considering full automation. Their focus should 00:13:35.370 --> 00:13:37.870 be more on integration, getting all the systems 00:13:37.870 --> 00:13:40.029 talking to each other efficiently. And the number 00:13:40.029 --> 00:13:43.070 one rule for new construction. Design for automation 00:13:43.070 --> 00:13:46.159 from the get -go. Retrofitting an old barn is 00:13:46.159 --> 00:13:49.200 always way more expensive, maybe 40 % more, and 00:13:49.200 --> 00:13:51.840 usually less effective. Okay, good advice. Looking 00:13:51.840 --> 00:13:54.320 ahead, what's coming down the pipe? Stuff that's 00:13:54.320 --> 00:13:56.639 not just science fiction anymore. Well, the robot 00:13:56.639 --> 00:13:59.000 market itself is exploding, going from about 00:13:59.000 --> 00:14:03.220 $3 .4 billion now to over $6 billion by 2029. 00:14:03.340 --> 00:14:06.779 That's huge growth, over 15 % a year. That momentum 00:14:06.779 --> 00:14:09.440 means costs should come down, expertise should 00:14:09.440 --> 00:14:12.360 spread. Exactly. But it also means the clock 00:14:12.360 --> 00:14:14.929 is ticking. The article throws out a pretty stark 00:14:14.929 --> 00:14:18.090 warning delaying past 2028. You risk permanent 00:14:18.090 --> 00:14:20.710 lockout. Permanent lockout from competitive markets. 00:14:20.730 --> 00:14:23.129 That sounds final. It implies the efficiency 00:14:23.129 --> 00:14:25.750 gap will become so large, it'll be almost impossible 00:14:25.750 --> 00:14:27.929 to catch up or compete on price if you haven't 00:14:27.929 --> 00:14:30.330 made the leap. It could force consolidation or 00:14:30.330 --> 00:14:33.190 exits. So beyond milking robots, what else is 00:14:33.190 --> 00:14:35.450 emerging? AI for health prediction is getting 00:14:35.450 --> 00:14:39.029 really good. predicting mastitis maybe 48, 72 00:14:39.029 --> 00:14:41.610 hours before symptoms show with high accuracy, 00:14:41.809 --> 00:14:44.549 robotic calf feeders showing better weaning weights, 00:14:44.809 --> 00:14:47.789 drones for checking herds, even voice -activated 00:14:47.789 --> 00:14:50.149 farm management. Voice -activated? Like asking 00:14:50.149 --> 00:14:52.629 Alexa about your somatic cell count? Kind of. 00:14:52.629 --> 00:14:55.429 The point is, these tools amplify the manager's 00:14:55.429 --> 00:14:57.190 judgment. They don't replace it. They give you 00:14:57.190 --> 00:14:59.330 better information faster. Okay, this is a lot 00:14:59.330 --> 00:15:01.490 to take in. It can feel overwhelming. Does the 00:15:01.490 --> 00:15:04.179 article suggest a way to just... Get started? 00:15:04.340 --> 00:15:07.080 Like a 90 -day plan? Yeah, it breaks it down 00:15:07.080 --> 00:15:10.139 nicely. First 30 days, assess. Really track your 00:15:10.139 --> 00:15:12.960 time, your costs. Calculate that labor cost per 00:15:12.960 --> 00:15:15.259 hundredweight. And crucially, go visit other 00:15:15.259 --> 00:15:17.659 automated farms like yours. See it in action. 00:15:17.879 --> 00:15:20.940 Get real ROI projections based on your farm. 00:15:21.080 --> 00:15:24.100 Okay, month one, homework and visits. Month two. 00:15:24.440 --> 00:15:27.139 Decision time. Secure your financing. Pick your 00:15:27.139 --> 00:15:29.279 technology partner and focus on service and support, 00:15:29.500 --> 00:15:31.740 not just the cheapest sticker price. And start 00:15:31.740 --> 00:15:33.950 management training. Focusing on how to use the 00:15:33.950 --> 00:15:37.450 data, prep for launch, finalize the install timeline, 00:15:37.769 --> 00:15:40.509 prepare your staff for the changes this is critical 00:15:40.509 --> 00:15:43.190 and often rushed, and set your baseline metrics 00:15:43.190 --> 00:15:45.169 so you can track progress once it's running. 00:15:45.370 --> 00:15:47.610 Good practical steps. What about pitfalls? What 00:15:47.610 --> 00:15:50.250 are the common mistakes people make? Number one, 00:15:50.350 --> 00:15:54.190 underestimating the learning curve. It takes 00:15:54.190 --> 00:15:57.070 time, maybe six to 12 months, to really dial 00:15:57.070 --> 00:15:59.529 in a new system. Don't expect perfection on day 00:15:59.529 --> 00:16:02.639 one. Okay, patience is key. What else? Skimping 00:16:02.639 --> 00:16:04.820 on training. Everyone needs to understand the 00:16:04.820 --> 00:16:07.879 system. Choosing a vendor just on price. Ignoring 00:16:07.879 --> 00:16:10.200 service needs later. Trying to shoehorn tech 00:16:10.200 --> 00:16:12.480 into a facility that just isn't right for it. 00:16:12.559 --> 00:16:15.299 Facility compromises. Yeah. And maybe the biggest 00:16:15.299 --> 00:16:18.399 mistake. Expecting the technology to magically 00:16:18.399 --> 00:16:20.940 fix underlying management problems. It won't. 00:16:20.940 --> 00:16:22.740 It'll just automate your existing problems if 00:16:22.740 --> 00:16:24.559 you're not careful. Right. It amplifies what's 00:16:24.559 --> 00:16:27.340 already there, good or bad. Okay. After digging 00:16:27.340 --> 00:16:29.299 through all of this, if you had to boil it down. 00:16:30.139 --> 00:16:32.480 What's the single most critical takeaway for 00:16:32.480 --> 00:16:34.679 a farmer listening right now? I'd say really 00:16:34.679 --> 00:16:37.080 calculate your current labor cost per hundredweight. 00:16:37.240 --> 00:16:39.960 The article suggests if it's over $4, automation 00:16:39.960 --> 00:16:42.539 likely pays for itself in three, four years based 00:16:42.539 --> 00:16:44.899 on labor savings alone. That's a concrete number 00:16:44.899 --> 00:16:47.480 to start with. Know your number. Know your number. 00:16:47.539 --> 00:16:49.539 That's clear. And remember the other benefits 00:16:49.539 --> 00:16:52.600 stack on top of that. The health center ROI is 00:16:52.600 --> 00:16:55.240 incredibly fast, just over two years, saving 00:16:55.240 --> 00:16:57.960 hundreds or thousands per case prevented. Maybe 00:16:57.960 --> 00:17:00.379 start there if full robots feel too big initially. 00:17:00.700 --> 00:17:02.779 Good point. Start small, build confidence. What 00:17:02.779 --> 00:17:05.279 about feed? Feed savings add up fast, especially 00:17:05.279 --> 00:17:08.700 on larger farms. $50 ,000 plus a year isn't unusual 00:17:08.700 --> 00:17:12.079 for a 1 ,000 cow herd, just from better TMR consistency 00:17:12.079 --> 00:17:15.140 and less waste. Even feed pushers have a quick 00:17:15.140 --> 00:17:18.119 payback, around two years. And milk bump. That 00:17:18.119 --> 00:17:20.599 5 -10 % production increase is real for most 00:17:20.599 --> 00:17:23.980 AMS adopters. For that 500 cow example, it was 00:17:23.980 --> 00:17:27.400 nearly $200 ,000 a year extra revenue. That alone 00:17:27.400 --> 00:17:29.700 can carry the investment. So the final thought 00:17:29.700 --> 00:17:32.039 on timing, why now? Because that competitive 00:17:32.039 --> 00:17:35.059 gap is widening every day. Waiting too long, 00:17:35.099 --> 00:17:37.799 especially past that suggested 2028 timeframe, 00:17:38.140 --> 00:17:41.559 genuinely risks being left behind. And if you're 00:17:41.559 --> 00:17:44.819 building new, designed for automation now, don't 00:17:44.819 --> 00:17:47.680 pay 40 % more to retrofit later. The future's 00:17:47.680 --> 00:17:50.160 automated, and it's arriving faster than we thought. 00:17:50.539 --> 00:17:52.480 Great insights. And that's all the time we have 00:17:52.480 --> 00:17:54.519 for today's deep dive into this crucial article. 00:17:54.700 --> 00:17:56.859 For more articles and insights, be sure to visit 00:17:56.859 --> 00:18:00.799 www .thebullvine .com. Don't forget to subscribe 00:18:00.799 --> 00:18:03.079 wherever you get your podcasts. Thanks for listening. 00:18:03.200 --> 00:18:05.819 And maybe think about this. As the industry shifts, 00:18:06.019 --> 00:18:08.539 success won't just be about efficiency, but about 00:18:08.539 --> 00:18:10.680 building a farm and a lifestyle that works for 00:18:10.680 --> 00:18:12.980 the next generation too. What will your future 00:18:12.980 --> 00:18:15.160 farm look like? Thanks for listening to The Bullvine 00:18:15.160 --> 00:18:17.619 Podcast. If you found today's episode valuable, 00:18:18.109 --> 00:18:20.490 Be sure to subscribe and share it with your dairy 00:18:20.490 --> 00:18:23.470 community. For more actionable insights to keep 00:18:23.470 --> 00:18:25.609 your farm ahead of the curve, visit us anytime 00:18:25.609 --> 00:18:30.910 at www .thebullvine .com. Until next time, keep 00:18:30.910 --> 00:18:33.650 striving, keep innovating, and keep leading the 00:18:33.650 --> 00:18:34.890 way in dairy farming.