DairyTalk 694: Teats, Hooves, and Milking Behavior: Why Robot Suitability Needs More Than One Index- by Helmut Demmelhuber

DairyTalk by Helmut Demmelhuber · Oct 2, 2026 · 24m

RZRobot breeding index. The index is intended to identify sires whose daughters are well suited to automatic milking, but relaxed thresholds and a strong emphasis on milkability may allow important functional weaknesses to be masked by the overall score. Teat traits, hoof health, and actual milking behavior can all influence how reliably a cow performs in a robotic system, making a single headline index an incomplete selection tool. The article therefore explores a stricter alternative that gives greater attention to functional thresholds and real-world data such as voluntary milking…