The Rural Voice, 2000-05, Page 24The robotic milker
positions itself
under the cow,
memorizing the
geography of each
cow's udder.
HANDS-OFF
MILKING
The Bos family milks all
day long without hired
help thanks to their new
robotic milkers
Story and photos by
Bonnie Gropp
T,, a casual passer-by on an
early morning or to a mid-
afternoon visitor, life at
Bellestein Farms outside Blyth may
seem a typical dairy operation. For
the Bos family, Henry and Sandy,
aided by his now "retired" father, Art
and mother Corrie, with chores to do,
animals to feed and calves to tend,
the work day is of course long and
full.
However, while other dairy
producers are milking at 5:30 a.m.
and again before supper, the Boses
you might say are "udderly" free.
The future has arrived at Bellestein
iri the form of two robotic milkers,
the third installation in Canada.
20 THE RURAL VOICE
Therrobots allowed Henry
and Sandy Bos (right) milk
their 90 -cow herd with only
the help of Henry's father
Art (holding their daughter
Brookelyn) and mother
Corrie.