This just in from Quebec, bel's home:
Cows milk themselves with robotic machine
Canadian dairy farmers have begun to equip their barns with European-made gadgets that let cows milk themselves whenever they want.
Imported from Holland, the $250,000 robotic milkers coax the cattle by dispensing tasty treats in exchange for their teats, which the machine automatically hooks up to a vacuum that sucks out just the right amount of milk.
The end result--besides a barn full of happy cows free to wander--is an increase in milk production, and consequently a boost in farmers' earnings. ... About 30 farmers in Ontario and Quebec have purchased the machine. Yves Roux bought four of the robotic milkers.
He said it took a few tries for his cattle to become accustomed to the machines, but now all but a few stubborn cows take the bait and sit back while the robot does its job.
