Transitioning dairy cows to automatic milking: predictive effects of training on post transition AMS use

The transition to automatic milking systems (AMS) can be difficult for dairy cows, often requiring staff to fetch reluctant individuals. This study tested whether positive reinforcement training (PRT) could ease a herd-wide transition to AMS and whether individual training responses predicted later behavior in the AMS. A total of 181 lactating Holstein cows received either baseline training alone or baseline training preceded by PRT (n = 71 and n = 110, respectively). During PRT, cows were offered repeated opportunities to approach and enter the AMS, with grain used as an incentive. Progression during PRT was not mandatory; cows engaged at their own pace and at the end of each PRT session engagement was scored 1 (no interaction), 2 (partial investigation), or 3 (entry or walk-through). AMS visit behavior was monitored for 4 wk after AMS activation, with daily maximum interval between AMS visits serving as the primary outcome (as shorter intervals indicate a lower risk of fetching). We found no overall effect of treatment, but individual responses during PRT were predictive. Specifically, cows that achieved Step 2 (n = 50) and Step 3 (n = 54) during PRT later showed shorter maximum visit intervals (736.7 ± 21.0 min and 612.5 ± 20.8 min, respectively) compared to the 6 cows that remained at Step 1 (892.7 ± 63.8 min). Multiparous cows also had longer visit intervals than primiparous cows; however, regardless of parity, maximum visit intervals decreased over the 28 days we followed their behavior. These findings indicate that some cows struggle to learn to enter the AMS and suggest that these animals may benefit from targeted interventions during the transition.