Production system
Rotary Milking Parlour
Milking the herd at speed
What it is
Cows step into individual stalls on a slowly rotating platform. Workers or robots clean the udder, attach the cluster, and watch the milk flow as each stall comes past.
Where it sits in the system
The carousel keeps a continuous line of cows moving through milking at predictable intervals. Throughput is the point: the platform sets the pace, not the cow.
Welfare concern
The machinery itself is not what harms a cow. The harm comes from slippery flooring, being hurried on and off, badly fitting clusters, overmilking, poor maintenance, lameness, and the pressure to keep the line full.
Worth being precise about
Good design and calm handling can make milking an unremarkable part of the day. The heavier concerns sit around it — breeding for high yield, taking the calf away, housing, and udder health.
