Taiwan's ITRI develops technology to boost dairy industry in Tainan

台灣工研院研發技術協助台南乳業發展

TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Industrial Technology Research Institute has developed various automated devices to help improve dairy operations and ease labor shortages in Tainan's Liuying District.

The district was once home to Taiwan's largest dairy farming area. However, due to industrial transformation and the retirement of older farmers, only around 50 dairy farms remain. Most of these farms utilize concentrated housing with free-stall barns and collectively raise between 8,000 and 10,000 cows, according to CNA.

Hsieh Tsung-lin (謝宗霖), head of Ba-lao-ye Dairy Farm, said that managing a dairy farm includes feeding, maintaining cleanliness, and monitoring the health of the cattle. Labor costs pose a significant operational challenge for farms.

Feed is placed in the feeding alley outside the fence, but as cows eat, they tend to nudge it out of reach, requiring staff to regularly push it back, Hsieh said. To address this, he adopted a feed-pushing robot that automatically adjusts the feed on a set schedule and allows him to monitor the barn remotely via smartphone.

ITRI said that most dairy farms in Taiwan rely on imported equipment like feed pushers, milking machines, and manure collectors, which are typically better suited for large-scale operations. However, the majority of Taiwanese dairy farms are mid-sized and require more appropriately scaled tools.

To meet this need, ITRI developed an electric feeding machine that combines feed dispensing and pushing functions. The autonomous device features self-charging capabilities and can be programmed to increase feeding frequency from twice to four times daily. This method can boost milk production by up to 30%.

The institute has also developed a manure-cleaning robot equipped with intelligent navigation that allows it to avoid cows and other obstacles. As the device moves through the barn, it vacuums up waste and automatically returns to its docking station for recharging.

ITRI added that the machines cost about half as much as imported products and are easier to maintain, which is expected to increase adoption among domestic dairy farmers.