What are the different types of milking sheds?

Last updated 17/01/2024

Each dairy farm has a milking shed where the cows are milked by machines. The milk is held in a vat before it is collected each day and taken to the factory by a milk tanker.

One of the most common milk sheds, the herringbone shed, has a central sunken pit and a raised platform on each side where the cows stand whilst being milked. The cows are angled anywhere from 45 to 90 degrees to the pit and the pit, which is usually two to three metres wide, is where the milking staff work. The pit is lower than the platform to give a comfortable working height for the farm hands. The milking machines are located within or above the pit and the operators apply one set of 4 cups (the milking cluster) to the udder of the cow from either behind or in front of her hind legs depending on the angle of the cows. Once milking is finished, the front gate is opened and the cows walk out. Herringbone sheds vary in length depending on the size of the herd and may range from as small as six cows per side up to 30 or even more cows per side.

^{Image above - a 'herringbone' milking shed}

A rotary shed is a large circular platform that rotates like a carousel whilst the cows are being milked. The cows walk on to the raised platform at the entrance point and an operator applies the milking machines. Each cow is in an individual stall and the platform slowly rotates so milking is completed by the time the cow has completed the circle. Another operator at the exit point removes the cups and the cows leave the platform.

^{Image above - a 'rotary' milking shed}

There are a small number of robotic dairies (also called Automatic Milking Systems, or AMS) in Australia, where a robot milks the cows without human involvement. The cows walk to the dairy at their own desire and enter the milking booth where they are rewarded with feed. The robot washes the udder and sensor-guided cups are applied to milk the cow. The robot sprays disinfectant onto the teats after milking and the gate opens to allow the cow to leave. Robotic milking booths are expensive to install and can only handle a limited number of cows each day.

^{Image above - an automated or 'AMS' milking shed}

For more detail information on dairy cow milking sheds visit: https://www.dairyaustralia.com.au/farm/animal-management/milking