Owners Dan and Sommer Peterson transitioned Mill Stream Dairy into the first robotic farm in Waupaca County. The 6th generation farm has 90 cows and, with the assistance of the first robotic milking machines in Waupaca County, now follow a customized milking schedule, generally 3 times per day. The innovative milking system allows Dan to monitor and troubleshoot the majority of milking and feed operations within the barn via his computer or smart phone, as well as keep hired staff to a minimum. Despite the $200,000 price tag for each robotic milker and the demands of learning a new method, Dan is confident and satisfied with their investment.
Mill Stream Dairy is now one of the approximate 150 robotic milking parlors of ~ 11,000 dairy farms in Wisconsin. If interested in learning more, Mill Stream Dairy (E756 County Road V, Scandinavia, WI) is hosting an Open House on Saturday, March 28th.
Source: WLUK Fox 11 (3/19/15) + Video: http://fox11online.com/2015/03/19/robotic-dairy-farm-in-waupaca-county/