Farming is surprisingly high-tech, and this is why

From robotic milking to carbon calculators, see how tech is transforming farming.

Tech lovers might not have farming on their radar, but they should. Sure, agriculture is known for its hands-on, down-and-dirty work, but modern farms are bursting with innovation, making them a dynamic and exciting place to work.

Thanks to cutting-edge innovations, many farms are more high-tech than ever—boosting efficiency, productivity, and sustainability. And the best part? The tech behind it is seriously exciting.

Still a little sceptical about tech in farming? We get it. But as you're about to see, agriculture is evolving fast, and those who blend farming with technology are leading the charge into a whole new era.

So, what’s making waves in farming tech right now?

#1 Robotic milking

Can you imagine a robot milking a cow? It’s a reality in Australia, thanks to the development of automatic milking systems that make the entire milking procedure free of human assistance! If you want to know how it works, the process goes a little like this:

  • The cow voluntarily enters the robotic milking shed for milking and is recognised by an electronic transponder.
  • A teat position sensor (usually a laser) on a robotic arm automatically applies the teat-cup for milking and determines timing of removal base on milk flow.
  • Cows then leave the shed via an automatic gate system to manage cow traffic.
  • Simple as that!   

The technology has huge potential to reduce the amount of time dairy farms spend on milking, freeing up the farm staff to concentrate on other farm and business management activities, such as monitoring the performance of individual cows and the whole farm system. Forty Australian dairy farms are already using the automatic milking system, and safe to say, it’s going super well!

#2 Carbon calculator

If caring about the environment matters to you, you’ll love this next one. The carbon calculator, created by Dairy Australia, equips farmers to:

  • Measure their farm carbon footprint.
  • Understand sources of emissions on farm.
  • Explore options for reducing emissions through herd, feed and fertiliser and manure management or reviewing their farm system.

In short, it helps them operate in a way that best serves the environment and improving efficiencies. It’s a big win for everyone: us, the farmers, and the planet!

#3 Use of drones

Believe it or not, drones are also often used by dairy farmers to:

  • Monitoring pasture healt
  • Spraying and spreading seeds
  • Monitoring dairy cows
  • Inspecting water sources to ensure cows have access to clean fresh water

Farming innovation really is reaching new heights.

#4 Computer technology

Gone are the days of using pen and paper to monitor the inner workings of your farm. Nowadays, many farmers now use powerful computer databases to:

  • Monitor water use on farm, including use of apps to remotely turn on and off pumps, and irrigation.
  • Monitor soil nutrients.
  • Real time monitoring of individual health and wellbeing for example, collecting data on their physical activity via a pedometer via a sensor!
  • Locate cows needing attention quickly and easily. See and follow their real-time position on your farm map via a smart tag.
  • Work out how much to feed the cows.
  • Calculate how much daily operations will cost.
  • And much, much more!   

This information is often fed directly into the milking process to increase the efficiency of the milking shed.

Blending hands-on work with high-tech solutions—this really is the future of farming.