The target is fully automatic milking in rotary parlours through robotic cluster attachment. DeLaval says it’s done the sums and the resultant Automatic Rotary (AMR) system will be on show at EuroTier. Commercial versions won’t be on sale, however, until some time in 2011.

In fact, the Swedes still won’t give more details other than “a number of robot arms will be featured for udder preparation and cluster attachment”.

It is also understood that the rotaries will be the standard DeLaval inside-attachment herringbone design with capacities of from 16 to 40 places. But will the Swedish company be first with a robotic rotary on commercial farms? There’s already news of an 80-cow rotary with 3-D camera and near infra-red steered automatic cluster attachment ripe for introduction in the USA.

The development work is by Greensource Automation (GSA) of California and, in fact, GSA RotaryMATE robot arms have already taken over udder washing and teat dipping chores in some big US and Australian rotary parlours.