The dairy farm of the future could employ robotics

Last month, south central Wisconsin became the site of a national research hub into the dairy industry.  

In Prairie du Sac, a team of scientists and researchers broke ground on a $55-million facility with 18 buildings on 42 acres. Expected to open in 2027, leaders of the facility hope to modernize dairy research practices, including units specifically dedicated to robotics.

Dennis Hancock is center director at the U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center, which will administer the new facility in partnership with the University of Wisconsin–Madison’s College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. He said part of the decline in Wisconsin dairy farms can be attributed to workforce shortage and a possible solution is replacing some of the workforce with technology. 

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