28 n FOOD AND BEVERAGE March 2026 www.drivesncontrols.com Dairy robots give cows udder contentment Stirling-based Peacock Technology specialises in intelligent systems for the dairy industry. Its Intelligent Dairy Solutions (IDS) division has developed a suite of robotic milking systems deigned to improve udder hygiene, reduce the risk of disease, and help dairy farms to operate more consistently at scale. Central to this portfolio are the IDS PreBrush Robot, which automates pre-milking teat preparation, and the IDS Post-Spray Robot, which delivers precise post-milking disinfection. Working together, these systems provide a complete teat-care workflow, helping to ensure animal welfare, milk quality, and efficient dairy operations. Teat preparation and post-milking disinfection are essential for maintaining cows’ udder health and controlling mastitis. But these tasks are time-consuming, physically demanding and prone to inconsistency. Variations in cleaning pressure, coverage, contact time and spray application can affect throughput, and increase the risk of infection. With labour pressures continuing in the sector, dairy farmers are looking for ways to maintain – and ideally, to improve – hygiene standards, without adding to their workloads. IDS’ view was simple: if robotics and vision can handle the repetitive aspects of teat care reliably, then dairy staff can focus on highervalue herd management activities. At the same time, the farm benefits from consistent process quality. “Teat preparation happens hundreds of times a day, every day,” points out Peacock’s CEO, Stuart MacLennan. “The quality of that preparation directly affects cow comfort and udder health. Our goal with the IDS PreBrush Robot was to bring repeatable, highstandard cleaning to every cow, without adding strain on people or slowing the parlour down.” The Pre-Brush Robot is designed for use in rotary milking parlours. It automates teat cleaning before milking using a robot arm fitted with a brush. A 3D vision system identifies the cow and locates the teats in real time, confirming their coordinates and ensuring that the arm has safe access. The robot then positions the brush precisely, applying consistent cleaning pressure and coverage to remove contaminants before milking begins. One of the most important phases in the teat-care cycle is pre-milking preparation. Reliable cleaning improves milk quality, lowers the risk of mastitis, and lessens the bacterial load on teat surfaces. By eliminating a significant amount of repetitive work, automating this step also improves ergonomics and reduces the risk of hurried or neglected preparation at peak times. “The Pre-Brush has to work in the real world – wet environments, variable cow behaviour, and tight cycle times,” explains Peacock’s service team manager, Gary Miller. “The combination of robust vision and A Scottish specialist in dairy automation has developed a pair of robotic systems that clean cows’ udders before milking, and disinfect them afterwards, resulting in healthy, happy animals that produce better yields. The systems combine 3D vision, embedded PCs and EtherCat communications to ensure safe, reliable performance. Peacock Technology’s Pre-Brush Robot cleans a cow’s udders automatically before she is milked
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjQ0NzM=