Evaluation of automated in-line precision dairy farming technology implementation in three dairy farms in Italy

In recent decades, dairy farms have been exposed to wide variation in profit levels due to a considerable variability of milk price, and energy and feed costs. Consequently, it is necessary for the dairy industry to improve efficiency and productivity by adopting innovative technologies. The automated in-parlour milk analysis and separation is mainly useful to produce low or high quality milk and to monitor the animal health status. Milk with high levels of protein and fat contents may reduce the intensity of standardization during cheesemaking process, reducing production costs. The study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of real-time milk separation during milking and the performance of the milking machine after implementation of AfiMilk MCS. In addition, the economic aspects were assessed. The separation of milk required the existing milking parlors to be equipped with an additional milkline to allow channeling milk with low and high coagulation properties into two different cooling tanks. The results showed that the high coagulation milk fraction, compared to the bulk milk, increased in fat (from 18% to 43%) and protein (from 3% to 7%) concentration. The technology tested has given promising results showing reliability and efficiency in milk separation in real time with affordable implementation costs.