For Sacker Farms, LLC, sustainability is achieved through robotic milking and effective land management practices. Located in Monroe, Wis., Sacker Farms is a fourth-generation dairy farm owned and operated by Sarah Sacker, Josh Schenk and their daughter Wynn. Their farm spans over 200 acres, where they grow corn for their herd of 100 dairy cows. The milk from their cows is sent to Klondike Cheese Company to be processed into dairy products, including feta cheese and Greek yogurt.
Sacker Farms is unique in many ways. One aspect that sets them apart is their use of a robotic milking system.
What are the benefits of milking robots for farmers?
A robotic milking system, also called an Automatic Milking System (AMS), automates the milking process for dairy cows. Unlike conventional parlors where workers guide cows into a parlor in groups, robotic systems allow cows to voluntarily step into the stall when they are ready to be milked.
Sacker Farms uses a box-style parlor. Each cow wears a collar that identifies her and records when she is being milked. Cows usually average 2.7 milkings a day. After each milking, they receive a corn gluten pellet, a byproduct of corn harvesting, as a treat. This reward encourages them to enter the system on their own, creating a barn environment where cows move freely.
How does a free-flow barn keep cows comfortable?
The Sackers’ herd lives in what is called a free-flow barn, a type of housing that allows cows to eat, drink, lie down and be milked on their own schedule. This means that the cows choose what they need when they need it.
This freedom leads to calmer, more content cows. Sarah Sacker mentioned how this has impacted the comfort of their cows.
“It’s on their own timetable. They lie down when they want, eat when they want and milk when they want,” Sarah said. “From the standpoint of cow comfort, it has definitely increased. We’ve seen them become more docile and calmer.”
By eliminating the need to move cows manually, free-flow barns also reduce labor needs for farmers.
How do milking robots help farmers monitor cow health?
Robotic milking systems track more than milk production; they also track the cow’s health. The Sackers monitor everything from the cow’s physical activity to their eating habits. If there are any fluctuations or drops in the cow’s health, they can receive notifications directly to their phone.
It also tracks their rumination, which is a big indicator of cow health. Rumination is the activity of cows eating their food, chewing their cud and swallowing it. Cows are ruminants, which means they have four stomach chambers. In contrast, humans are monogastric, meaning they have one stomach chamber. Their rumen processes it like a big mixer. They spit it back up, chew it again and repeat the process.
With the addition of robots, the Sackers get health alerts with drops in rumination.
Why do dairy farms choose robotic milking systems?
For many farmers, the decision to use robots comes down to three big benefits: reduced needs for additional labor, improved cow comfort and better health insights.
Together, these advantages support both animal well-being and farm sustainability, making robotic milking a growing choice for Wisconsin dairy farms.
Sacker Farms LLC is featured as a part of Gather Wisconsin’s Leaders of the Land® segment, which features Wisconsin farmers moving agriculture forward through their commitment to sustainability.