Robotics in Livestock Farming: Greater Efficiency, Relief and Animal Welfare
Robot-assisted automation is evolving rapidly and opening up new areas of application. Automated milking, feeding and cleaning systems are reducing the workload on farms, increasing precision in livestock management and helping to address the shortage of skilled labour. At the same time, animal welfare, animal health and environmental performance benefit from these technologies. EuroTier 2026 will showcase, live on site, which innovative solutions in milking technology are already market-ready and how they are shaping the dairy barns of the future, as part of the DLG Spotlight “Barn Robot Event.”
The use of robotics and automated systems in livestock farming in Europe has already been increasing for years. The primary aim is to relieve farmers of physically demanding and time-intensive tasks, improve operational accuracy and address the growing shortage of qualified labour in agriculture.
Reducing workload as a key advantage
A major advantage of robotics in livestock production is the significant reduction in manual labour. Many routine daily tasks such as milking, feeding, manure removal and bedding are now carried out automatically. This allows farm managers and staff to focus on other essential activities such as animal monitoring and farm management.
Robotics has made particularly strong progress in cattle farming over recent decades. The first milking robots were introduced on German dairy farms in the late 1990s. Today, automatic milking systems are standard technology in many operations. A single milking robot can perform up to 200 milkings per day. For farmers, this represents a significant relief, as fixed milking times in the early morning or at weekends are no longer required. At the same time, their quality of life—and that of their families—improves considerably.
Feeding processes are also increasingly automated. Modern feeding robots mix individual feed components and deliver fresh rations to the animals several times a day. As a result, the time required for this task can be reduced by up to two thirds. Automated feeding systems retrieve hay, silage, as well as mineral and protein supplements from storage units and prepare precisely balanced rations. During feeding, the systems also automatically push the feed towards the edge of the feed table so that animals can access it easily at all times.
In addition to milking and feeding robots, cleaning and manure removal robots are becoming increasingly important. They clean barn alleys and surfaces autonomously, ensuring hygienic conditions in the stable. This gives farmers significantly more time for other key tasks. Scraper robots are now considered indispensable helpers on many farms and are often integrated directly into newly planned housing systems.
Robotics is also becoming increasingly relevant in pig production. The research project “PigPooPicker,” for example, is developing an autonomous cleaning and manure removal robot for open housing systems with bedding and outdoor access. These more animal-friendly systems currently require significantly higher labour input. The robot is designed to carry out cleaning tasks continuously and noticeably reduce labour requirements.
Automated systems are also gaining importance in poultry farming. For example, a robot moves autonomously through poultry houses for chickens and turkeys and uses light signals, sounds and movement stimuli to keep the animals more active. At the same time, modern robotic systems perform monitoring tasks and collect important data on housing conditions such as climate parameters.
Greater precision and improved control
In addition to reducing labour, the precision of automated systems plays a key role. Robots operate consistently and are not affected by physical or mental fatigue, which reduces the risk of errors in animal management.
Modern milking robots in particular demonstrate the high level of precision achieved today. They automatically recognise individual animals, monitor milk quality and collect health data. Diseases or irregularities can therefore be detected at an early stage. At the same time, animals encounter identical conditions in the robot every day, which reduces stress and improves animal welfare. Cows can also decide themselves when to visit the milking robot. Lower-ranking animals benefit in particular, as competition is reduced.
Automated feeding systems also operate with a high degree of precision. They prepare feed mixtures exactly according to programmed recipes and adjust supply to the specific needs of different animal groups. Cows, calves and dry cows receive precisely the ration they require. Providing freshly mixed feed several times a day also improves feed quality.
In pig production, robotics is also expected to improve barn hygiene and environmental performance through continuous cleaning. Reducing ammonia emissions is a key factor. While traditional slurry scrapers often spread manure over a larger area, modern cleaning robots can remove it more selectively.
Addressing the labour shortage
Another major driver for the increasing use of robotics in livestock farming is the shortage of skilled labour. Qualified workers are becoming harder to find across many areas of agriculture, while at the same time requirements for animal welfare, hygiene and environmental standards continue to increase. Robotics and automation help farms remain economically viable despite limited labour availability. Many tasks that were previously carried out manually can now be automated, reducing dependence on human labour.
This advantage is particularly evident in dairy farming. Milking is one of the most labour-intensive tasks on a farm. Without automated systems, farmers would still have to adhere strictly to fixed milking times. Milking robots provide greater flexibility and significantly reduce workload.
Automated feeding and cleaning systems also replace time-consuming manual labour while enabling better organisation of workflows in the barn. The time gained can be invested in more intensive animal observation and management.
However, the high investment costs remain a challenge. A milking robot can cost well over 100,000 euro, and cleaning robots are also in the five-figure range. For smaller farms in particular, this can represent a significant economic barrier.
DLG-Spotlight: Barn Robot Event
Nevertheless, developments clearly show that there is no alternative to the continued automation and digitalisation of livestock farming. Robotics will play an increasingly important role in the future.
Under the guiding theme “Intelligence in Animal Farming,” EuroTier 2026 demonstrates how modern technologies can help address current challenges successfully. The DLG Spotlight “Barn Robot Event” in Hanover provides practical insights into current robotic solutions for automated milking systems and illustrates how digital technologies simplify work processes, increase efficiency and at the same time improve animal welfare.
As part of moderated live demonstrations, visitors can experience first-hand how modern milking robotics are transforming everyday operations in dairy barns. The systems presented help to make workflows more flexible, reduce the workload on staff and unlock productivity potential at farm level. At the same time, livestock farmers receive valuable information on which technologies are already market-ready and how these can be economically integrated into existing farm structures.
The “Barn Robot Event” therefore offers an ideal opportunity to gain a compact and practice-oriented overview of the future of automation in livestock farming. The three main focus areas are retrofit solutions (conversion from conventional milking parlours to robotic systems).