Dairy farming in Ohio has gone high-tech. Robots are taking over milking duties on a number of dairy operations in Ohio.
It's a step to ensure survival for farmers dealing with fewer farmhands to do the twice-daily milking.
With the technology, a cow enters the milking stall enticed with feed and that's when the equipment takes over: brushes wash the udders and then cone-like devices cup the teets and begin to milk.
It's an inexpensive investment, costing close to $500,000, depending on what equipment is purchased. But it's helping farmers, especially those from smaller farms, stay in business.
Today on Tech Tuesday on All Sides: Robots and farming.
Guests:
Julian Chokkattu, reporter, Wired magazine
Jason Nuhfer, dairy farmer, Bar Lee Jerseys
Brian Wise, chief of the dairy division at the Ohio Department of Agriculture
Russell Holly, contributing editor, Android Central