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UNEXPECTED WAYS. >> STAR CITY, INDIANA.
>> STAR CITY, INDIANA. IT'S A CITY NAMED FOR THE
IT'S A CITY NAMED FOR THE UNLIKELY HOME TO SOME OF THE
UNLIKELY HOME TO SOME OF THE STATE'S MOST FAMOUS RESIDENTS.
STATE'S MOST FAMOUS RESIDENTS. EACH YEAR HUNDREDS TREK FROM
EACH YEAR HUNDREDS TREK FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY TO SEE THEM.
AROUND THE COUNTRY TO SEE THEM. NO, NOT THEM.
NO, NOT THEM. THEM.
THEM. THAT'S RIGHT... THE 140 COWS
THAT'S RIGHT... THE 140 COWS THAT RESIDE AT THIS FOURTH
THAT RESIDE AT THIS FOURTH GENERATION DAIRY FARM.
GENERATION DAIRY FARM. >> I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN -- ENJOYED
>> I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN -- ENJOYED THE FARMING.
THE FARMING. I REMEMBER WE HAD A TOUR OF SOME
I REMEMBER WE HAD A TOUR OF SOME CHILDREN FROM MARSHLAND, FULTON
CHILDREN FROM MARSHLAND, FULTON COUNTY.
COUNTY. I SAID WHEN I WAS A CHILD I USED
I SAID WHEN I WAS A CHILD I USED TO PLAY IN THE YARD DOWN THERE
TO PLAY IN THE YARD DOWN THERE IN MY SAND PILE WITH TRACTORS
IN MY SAND PILE WITH TRACTORS AND TRUCKS AND THE ONLY THING
AND TRUCKS AND THE ONLY THING THAT'S CHANGED IS THE SIZE OF MY
THAT'S CHANGED IS THE SIZE OF MY TOYS.
TOYS. I JUST USE BIGGER TOYS NOW TO DO
I JUST USE BIGGER TOYS NOW TO DO THE SAME THING I'VE ALWAYS
THE SAME THING I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO DO, AND THAT WAS FARM.
WANTED TO DO, AND THAT WAS FARM. >> FOR SAM, DAIRY FARMING IS IN
>> FOR SAM, DAIRY FARMING IS IN HIS BLOOD.
HIS BLOOD. HIS GRANDFATHER STARTED THE FARM
HIS GRANDFATHER STARTED THE FARM IN 1919, AND IN 1956 HIS FATHER
IN 1919, AND IN 1956 HIS FATHER BUILT THEIR FIRST MILKING
BUILT THEIR FIRST MILKING PARLOR.
PARLOR. SO WHEN SAM TOOK OVER, HIS FOCUS
SO WHEN SAM TOOK OVER, HIS FOCUS WASN'T ON WHERE THE COWS WERE
WASN'T ON WHERE THE COWS WERE MILKED BUT HOW THE COWS WERE
MILKED BUT HOW THE COWS WERE MILKED.
MILKED. >> THERE WAS AN ARTICLE IN A
>> THERE WAS AN ARTICLE IN A FARM MAGAZINE ABOUT ROBOTS BEING
FARM MAGAZINE ABOUT ROBOTS BEING PUT USE OVER IN EUROPE.
PUT USE OVER IN EUROPE. MY WIFE PAM SAID THAT I MADE A
MY WIFE PAM SAID THAT I MADE A COMMENT THAT, BOY, SOME DAY I
COMMENT THAT, BOY, SOME DAY I WOULD LIKE TO OWN SOME OF THOSE.
WOULD LIKE TO OWN SOME OF THOSE. THE THREE TIMES A DAY MILKING
THE THREE TIMES A DAY MILKING WAS THE MAJOR THING BACK THEN.
WAS THE MAJOR THING BACK THEN. IF YOU MILK A COW THREE TIMES A
IF YOU MILK A COW THREE TIMES A DAY OVER TWICE A DAY YOU'LL
DAY OVER TWICE A DAY YOU'LL INCREASE MILK PRODUCTION BY 10
INCREASE MILK PRODUCTION BY 10 TO 14% WITH NO OTHER FORCES
TO 14% WITH NO OTHER FORCES BEING IMPLEMENTED.
BEING IMPLEMENTED. BUT THE LABOR IS A REAL ISSUE
BUT THE LABOR IS A REAL ISSUE WITH THAT.
WITH THAT. WITH ROBOTS, THEY DO IT 24 HOURS
WITH ROBOTS, THEY DO IT 24 HOURS A DAY AND IT ELIMINATES THE
A DAY AND IT ELIMINATES THE LABOR PROBLEM.
LABOR PROBLEM. I DON'T KNOW WHY, IT JUST MADE
I DON'T KNOW WHY, IT JUST MADE SO MUCH SENSE TO ME.
SO MUCH SENSE TO ME. I CALL OURSELVES COWOLOGISTS.
I CALL OURSELVES COWOLOGISTS. IT'S ABOUT WHAT THE COW IS
IT'S ABOUT WHAT THE COW IS THINKING AND WANTING.
THINKING AND WANTING. THAT SEEMS SILLY BUT IT'S REALLY
THAT SEEMS SILLY BUT IT'S REALLY WHAT THE COW WANTS TO DO.
WHAT THE COW WANTS TO DO. IT'S TOTALLY UP TO HER.
IT'S TOTALLY UP TO HER. >> ROBOTIC MILKERS BECAME
>> ROBOTIC MILKERS BECAME AVAILABLE IN THE NETHERLANDS IN
AVAILABLE IN THE NETHERLANDS IN 1992 BUT IT TOOK ANOTHER EIGHT
1992 BUT IT TOOK ANOTHER EIGHT YEARS FOR THEM TO BE INTRODUCED
YEARS FOR THEM TO BE INTRODUCED IN THE U.S.
IN THE U.S. WHEN THE JONES INSTALLED THEIR
WHEN THE JONES INSTALLED THEIR ROBOTS IN 2003 THEY WERE ONE OF
ROBOTS IN 2003 THEY WERE ONE OF ONLY 10 ROBOTIC DAIRIES IN THE
ONLY 10 ROBOTIC DAIRIES IN THE NATION.
NATION. >> THEY ACTUALLY INTERVIEWED US
>> THEY ACTUALLY INTERVIEWED US BEFORE THEY SAID WE COULD BUY
BEFORE THEY SAID WE COULD BUY THE ROBOTS TO MAKE SURE WE WERE
THE ROBOTS TO MAKE SURE WE WERE ROBOT MATERIAL, WE WOULD
ROBOT MATERIAL, WE WOULD UNDERSTAND AND BE ABLE TO LEARN
UNDERSTAND AND BE ABLE TO LEARN ALL OF THIS.
ALL OF THIS. AND AFTER THEY DID THAT QUICK
AND AFTER THEY DID THAT QUICK INTERVIEW AND CAME AND VISITED
INTERVIEW AND CAME AND VISITED OUR FACILITY AND SPOKE WITH THEY
OUR FACILITY AND SPOKE WITH THEY SAID YOU WILL WORK WELL.
SAID YOU WILL WORK WELL. THEY SAID WE'RE GOING TO TRAIN
THEY SAID WE'RE GOING TO TRAIN THE COWS FIRST AND THEN WE'LL
THE COWS FIRST AND THEN WE'LL TREAT YOU.
TREAT YOU. THE COWS LEARNED HOW TO DO THE
THE COWS LEARNED HOW TO DO THE ROBOT THING AND WE STOOD BACK
ROBOT THING AND WE STOOD BACK AND WATCHED AND HELPED IN THE
AND WATCHED AND HELPED IN THE PROCESS.
PROCESS. IT TAKES SOME COWS A LITTLE
IT TAKES SOME COWS A LITTLE LONGER THAN OTHERS.
LONGER THAN OTHERS. SOME TOOK OFF AND LEARNED IT
SOME TOOK OFF AND LEARNED IT FIRST TIME THROUGH.
FIRST TIME THROUGH. AND IT'S STILL THAT WAY.
AND IT'S STILL THAT WAY. EVEN WE HAVE A NEW MAMA THAT
EVEN WE HAVE A NEW MAMA THAT JUST KAFD AND WE'RE BRINGING HER
JUST KAFD AND WE'RE BRINGING HER UP FOR THE FIRST TIME AND
UP FOR THE FIRST TIME AND INTRODUCING HER TO THE ROBOTS.
INTRODUCING HER TO THE ROBOTS. IT TAKES A LITTLE WHILE.
IT TAKES A LITTLE WHILE. IT'S JUST LIKE PERSONALITIES.
IT'S JUST LIKE PERSONALITIES. >> JUST LIKE A PERSONAL
>> JUST LIKE A PERSONAL SIGNATURE, EACH COW PROVIDES
SIGNATURE, EACH COW PROVIDES UNIQUE MILK CHARACTERISTICS AT T
UNIQUE MILK CHARACTERISTICS AT T THE ROBOTS CAN RECORD AND TRACK.
THE ROBOTS CAN RECORD AND TRACK. >> THE COW STEPS ON TO THE ROBOT
>> THE COW STEPS ON TO THE ROBOT AND IT'S IDED AND EACH COW HAS
AND IT'S IDED AND EACH COW HAS AN ELECTRONIC ID TAG.
AN ELECTRONIC ID TAG. IF SHE IS I IDENTIFIED AND IT
IF SHE IS I IDENTIFIED AND IT SAYS SHE NEEDS TO BE MILKED, THE
SAYS SHE NEEDS TO BE MILKED, THE ROBOT ARM WILL PROCEED TO
ROBOT ARM WILL PROCEED TO STIMULATE AND CLEAN HER TEATS
STIMULATE AND CLEAN HER TEATS AND THE ROBOT TRACKS COLOR OF
AND THE ROBOT TRACKS COLOR OF MILK, DOES IT A CONDUCTIVITY
MILK, DOES IT A CONDUCTIVITY TEST ON THE MILK.
TEST ON THE MILK. IF MILK IS ABNORMAL DUE TO BEING
IF MILK IS ABNORMAL DUE TO BEING IN HEAT OR THE COW IS SICK OR
IN HEAT OR THE COW IS SICK OR ALONG THOSE LINES, THE ROBOT
ALONG THOSE LINES, THE ROBOT GETS A READING AND ALERTS US TO
GETS A READING AND ALERTS US TO CHECK THIS COW FOR WHAT MIGHT BE
CHECK THIS COW FOR WHAT MIGHT BE WRONG WITH HER.
WRONG WITH HER. IT LETS US TREAT OUR COWS BEFORE
IT LETS US TREAT OUR COWS BEFORE THEY -- BEFORE THE INSPECTION
THEY -- BEFORE THE INSPECTION GETS A HOLD OF THE COW.
GETS A HOLD OF THE COW. SO IT TAKES LESS ANTIBIOTICS.
SO IT TAKES LESS ANTIBIOTICS. IT JUST GIVES YOU A WEALTH OF
IT JUST GIVES YOU A WEALTH OF INFORMATION TO MAKE THE ANIMAL
INFORMATION TO MAKE THE ANIMAL MORE HEALTHY AND HOPEFULLY HELP
MORE HEALTHY AND HOPEFULLY HELP OTHER FARMERS, TOO.
OTHER FARMERS, TOO. >> EACH YEAR THE JONES PROVIDE
>> EACH YEAR THE JONES PROVIDE HUNDREDS OF TOURS, NOT JUST TO
HUNDREDS OF TOURS, NOT JUST TO LOCAL SCHOOL CHILDREN, BUT ALSO
LOCAL SCHOOL CHILDREN, BUT ALSO TO SOUTHERN DAIRY FARMERS,
TO SOUTHERN DAIRY FARMERS, HOPING TO RAISE THE BENEFITS.
HOPING TO RAISE THE BENEFITS. >> MY DAD USED TO BE REALLY
>> MY DAD USED TO BE REALLY HAPPY IF WE WOULD SHIP A MILLION
HAPPY IF WE WOULD SHIP A MILLION POUNDS A YEAR.
POUNDS A YEAR. THIS YEAR WE'RE ON GOAL TO
THIS YEAR WE'RE ON GOAL TO ALMOST SHIP 3 MILLION POUNDS OF
ALMOST SHIP 3 MILLION POUNDS OF MILK ON PRETTY MUCH THE SAME
MILK ON PRETTY MUCH THE SAME AMOUNT OF LAND FOR THE DAIRY.
AMOUNT OF LAND FOR THE DAIRY. THE STRESS ON THE ANIMAL IS SO
THE STRESS ON THE ANIMAL IS SO MUCH LESS.
MUCH LESS. THERE'S NO WAITING
THERE'S NO WAITING UNCOMFORTABLE, CAN'T SLEEP,
UNCOMFORTABLE, CAN'T SLEEP, CAN'T LAY DOWN.
CAN'T LAY DOWN. ROBOTS ARE ALWAYS OPEN.
ROBOTS ARE ALWAYS OPEN. >> THE HAPPY MOOD OF THE HERD
>> THE HAPPY MOOD OF THE HERD CAUSE AN UNEXPECTED CHANGE.
CAUSE AN UNEXPECTED CHANGE. NO MOOS IN THE HERD.
NO MOOS IN THE HERD. >> WE DON'T HEAR A LOT OF
>> WE DON'T HEAR A LOT OF MOOING.
MOOING. THE COWS MOOED A LOT WHEN WE
THE COWS MOOED A LOT WHEN WE MILKED THE OTHER WAY, WANTING TO
MILKED THE OTHER WAY, WANTING TO BE FED, BABIES TO LAY DOWN.
BE FED, BABIES TO LAY DOWN. WE DIDN'T REALIZE THAT UNTIL WE
WE DIDN'T REALIZE THAT UNTIL WE GOT THE ROBOTS AND WE HERD NO
GOT THE ROBOTS AND WE HERD NO MOOING ONE DAY.
MOOING ONE DAY. WE CALLED A PROFESSOR AT PURDUE
WE CALLED A PROFESSOR AT PURDUE AND ASKED, OUR COWS DON'T MOO
AND ASKED, OUR COWS DON'T MOO ANYMORE, AND HE SAID, THEY DON'T
ANYMORE, AND HE SAID, THEY DON'T WANT FOR ANYTHING.
WANT FOR ANYTHING. THEY DO LIKE THE LAID BACK
THEY DO LIKE THE LAID BACK APPROACH OF LETTING THEM PICK
APPROACH OF LETTING THEM PICK AND CHOOSE WHEN THEY WANT TO
AND CHOOSE WHEN THEY WANT TO EAT, LETTING THEM CHOOSE WHEN
EAT, LETTING THEM CHOOSE WHEN THEY WANT TO LIE DOWN.
THEY WANT TO LIE DOWN. IF THEY WANT TO STAND OUT IN THE
IF THEY WANT TO STAND OUT IN THE RAIN THEY CAN, IF THEY WANT TO
RAIN THEY CAN, IF THEY WANT TO STAND OUT IN THE SUNSHINE, THEY
STAND OUT IN THE SUNSHINE, THEY DO.
DO. I HAVE SEEN COWS LICKING ICICLES
I HAVE SEEN COWS LICKING ICICLES OFF THE BARNS.
OFF THE BARNS. THEY'RE ALMOST LIKE KIDS.
THEY'RE ALMOST LIKE KIDS. THAT'S THE PART I ENJOY THE MOST
THAT'S THE PART I ENJOY THE MOST ABOUT THE COWS, IS ACTUALLY
ABOUT THE COWS, IS ACTUALLY SEEING THEIR UNIQUE
SEEING THEIR UNIQUE PERSONALITIES.
PERSONALITIES. I HAVE ALWAYS HAD A CONNECTION
I HAVE ALWAYS HAD A CONNECTION WITH ANIMALS.
WITH ANIMALS. I REALLY HAVE A DEGREE IN
I REALLY HAVE A DEGREE IN RADIOLOGY, BUT WHEN WE GOT
RADIOLOGY, BUT WHEN WE GOT MARRIED I BECAME A DAIRY FARMER.
MARRIED I BECAME A DAIRY FARMER. THAT WAS 37 YEARS AGO.
THAT WAS 37 YEARS AGO. I WOULDN'T CHANGE THAT FOR
I WOULDN'T CHANGE THAT FOR ANYTHING.