The New Times reported that "About 150 Jersey cows in the rolling terrain at Rivendale Farms in Bulger, some 25 miles west of Pittsburgh, wear Fitbit-like collars that monitor their movement, eating and rumination patterns. They are milked not by humans but by robotic machines." The January 13, 2019 story entitled "Robotic Milkers and an Automated Greenhouse: Inside a High-Tech Small Farm" included these details:
Farming in America is increasingly a high-tech endeavor. Combines guided by GPS, drones, satellite imagery, soil sensors and supercomputers all help the nation's food production. Yet that technology is mainly tailored for big industrial farms, where fields stretch as far as the eye can see.
Technology for giant farms is all about increasing yields and cutting costs. For smaller farms, too, efficiency is paramount. But technology can also eliminate a lot of tedious, routine labor — a lifestyle payoff that can help persuade a younger generation to stay put on family farms rather than sell out.
If you've ever spent time on a farm you would really appreciate this news!
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