The dairy industry has risen to the occasion over the last two decades in producing more while using less. How can continued efficiencies in dairy keep that trend moving? Some industry leaders say the science of milk collecting leaves room for improvements. While studies from 10 years ago show that cows were milked for an average of 4.4 minutes with a flow rate of 6.6 pounds per minute, today’s cows can produce 8.6 pounds per minute in under four minutes.

The size of a milking parlor and the technology used during the process can undoubtedly influence efficiency, but how a dairy manages its people can often make efficiency go further. Shift length, training, equipment configuration and more can all shave time off the process.

Read more on dairy milking efficiencies here.