Milking robots have been around for about 25 years — a whole quarter of a century! In the beginning, robots needed to prove that they worked reliably. Since then, we have seen a wide range of ways to install them in barns, with different concepts. While there have been some success stories, there have also been many disappointments where labour savings and good production levels have not been achieved. Many farms have even given up on robots, switching back to conventional milking.
In the early years of robotic milking, we didn't understand that the robot was just part of the barn system; we thought the robot would solve everything. Have we learned anything in these 25 years, or should we have? We should have.
1. Automatic milking does not solve cow comfort problems
Very simple things, such as free stall comfort and dimensions, alley widths and ventilation, must be good, regardless of the milking system. Cows must be able to rest in the free stalls for an adequate amount of time and have easy access to the feed table. It's not rocket science. In addition, good transition facilities are also needed in robotic milking barns.
2. Layout is the engine of flow
Robots must be located correctly in the barn layout. In many old robotic barns, the robot area becomes crowded and there is not enough space for cows to enter and exit the robot. Traffic is not fluent, visits to the robot are down, and timid cows are especially afraid to go to the robot. All of this also increases the time spent fetching cows, which increases labour.
3. Design for the "Work," not just the milking
We need to update the way we work and the protocols for robotic milking barns. There needs to be a handling chute that is easy to use, which is something that is very seldom seen in old robot barns. Designers do not consider arranging footbaths for cows. Having lame cows and not being able to easily treat them will affect cow longevity, production and labour efficiency.
The good news: You can teach an old barn new tricks
If you have an old robot barn with these old robot barn challenges, there are possibilities to make it better! Even old robot barns can be improved quite a bit by adding some new space. There is not always a need to build a new barn. Naturally, old barns cannot be upgraded to the same standard as new barns, but the price tag is much lower.
It all depends on your goals and the condition of the old barn — is it worthwhile to renovate?
Don’t guess—assess. Let an expert eye look at your layout to see if a renovation can unlock the potential you’ve been missing.
Read more about barn design and download a Robot barn Checklist
You can by yourself evaluate how good is your present robot barn with this eCourse.
Join our live webinar Februar 19, 2026 for experienced dairy producers using milking robots. Register here.
Jouni Pitkaranta, MSc Architecture