[ethbr1]

If anyone is near eastern Tennessee, I'd recommend the Sweetwater Valley Farm tour (in Sweetwater, TN).

They have the same Lely automatic milking machines from the article, and you can watch them do their thing.

Honestly, the teat-cleaning is the neatest part -- you realize how much more hygienic a mindless automaton can be.

[ahartman00]

I grew up on a farm, and worked at two others many years ago. We washed the teats before putting the machine on, and dipped them after. But yeah a mindless automaton wont sneeze, or forget to do their job :)

[ethbr1]

Honestly, it was Matrix-woah watching the machine laser-target a teat, wash it, then suction on. All gently enough the cow didn't care.

Turns out cow biscuits are a good motivator. (And taste kind of like wheat bran without any sugar and with more hay)

[rpmisms]

I saw eastern TN and got excited, but you just mean east-ish TN. Johnson City matters too!

[ethbr1]

TN has a lot of more-directions :D

All the love to east-of-Knoxville