Milk on D echnology. Innovation. Efficiency. At the Oklahoma State University Ferguson Family Dairy Center, these ideals came to fruition with the installation of a robotic milker in Fall 2020. Following the completion of a new free-stall dairy barn in 2018, the obvious question of “What’s next?” arose, said Clint Rusk, head of the OSU Department of Animal and Food Sciences. Larry and Kayleen Ferguson were among those looking toward the future of the dairy, said Nicole Sanders, OSU
dairy herd manager. Because of their desire to keep OSU dairy students on the cutting edge of technology and research, the Fergusons had a robotic milker in mind, she added. “The Fergusons have helped open new doors that weren’t possible for us otherwise,” Sanders said. The robotic milker is a valuable asset for students and producers to experience firsthand, Rusk said. “A part of our role as a land-grant university is to provide education and to take knowledge to the producers,” Rusk said.
By allowing producers to view OSU’s milker, they can learn about the technology while also building a positive relationship with the university, he added. “The agricultural way of life, in my opinion, is a great one,” Rusk said. “If we can help producers to be more efficient and help that livelihood, I think there’s a better chance to get their children to go back to the farm and continue that operation in the future.” The opportunity for Oklahoma dairy producers to spend a day at the Ferguson Family Dairy Center learning
The robotic milker has the ability to adjust depending on the size of the cow. This feature is essential at the OSU Ferguson Family Dairy Center because it ho 42 | COWBOY JOURNAL
