Improving labour efficiency
What is the problem?
Farming can be labour-intensive and makes up a large share of total farm expenses. With ongoing seasonal labour shortages in Tasmania and rising wages and compliance costs, improving efficiency is critical to give farmers buffer.
Why is it important?
By improving labour efficiency and reducing monotonous tasks, you can boost profitability, increase employee engagement, and improve work-life balance. For example, in a dairy system, opportunities like virtual fencing, automated milking and feeding, and scheduling apps are now more accessible, including to smaller operators. Or in a horticulture and viticultural system, install a autonomous robotic platform that can routinely transport produce between the field and holding shed.
What does success look like?
Increase production efficiencies per head of livestock or per labour times. Incorportating data driven insights into designing a more LEAN business operation to ensure that labour is best utilised and supported.
The overall goal is to increase the volume of produce you manage and sell per labour unit and gain more flexibility with your time on-farm.
Encompassed technologies
Automatic Gates
- Separates cows automatically for veterinary checks, artificial insemination, or milking
- Saves time and reduces manual handling requirements
Dairymaster – Drafting Systems
• Provides 2 or 3-way drafting of cows using automatic sorting software which can be controlled via computer or mobile app.
• Pathway for each cow can be pre-programmed in advance and save time on physically separating.
Estimated Cost
N/A (quote required)
Automatic Gates
- Automates herd movement into the dairy, reducing reliance on manual labour
- Low-cost option compared to full dairy automation, improving efficiency in daily milking routines
Guardian Backing Gate Controller - KH McConnel
Affordable electric controller for single backing gates.
Moves cows into the dairy with gentle pressure and noise cues, reducing manual effort in yard management.
Estimated Cost
~AUD 8,000 – 12,000
Smart ear tags
- Tracks animal location, movement patterns, and grazing behaviour
- Detects changes in activity that may indicate illness, injury, or escape
- Supports grazing management and early detection of welfare issues
Ceres Tag
Solar-powered GPS tag for cattle (ear tag) and sheep (collar). Provides up to 3 years of satellite connectivity without recharging. Requires integration with a software partner platform for data visualization and insights. Commonly deployed on 10–20% of the herd to monitor representative behaviour and movement patterns.
Estimated Cost
≈ AUD 190 per tag (standard) + ≈ AUD 1,960 for Pasture Feed Intake modules + ≈ AUD 80 activation tool
Virtual fencing technology
- Controls livestock movement without physical fences
- Reduces labour and input costs while improving land management
- Supports rotational grazing and landscape sustainability
- The best systems include built-in diagnostics (e.g. SMS alerts) that make faults easier to detect and fix, saving time on troubleshooting any potential challenges in set-up.
Gallagher’s eShepherd
GPS-enabled, solar-powered neckband that uses sound and vibration to create virtual fencing boundaries.
Allows farmers to remotely manage cattle movement without the need for physical fences.
Estimated Cost
• Collars ~AUD 380-400
• Base station ~AUD 7,500
Halter
• Cow collar delivers real-time heat and health monitoring.
• Virtual fencing zones automatically move the cows through sound and vibrations from the collar, saving up to 40 hrs/wk.
• LED lights on each collar to allow for easy identification.
Estimated Cost
N/A (quote required)
Vence
GPS enabled collar and base station solution that enables virtual fencing and remote grazing control—no physical fences required.
• Boundaries are adjusted via computer or mobile apps using the HerdManager interface.
• Commercially available in Australia through Merck Animal Health, suited for large-scale grazing systems.
Estimated Cost
~AUD 10,000+ base station + AUD 45 / collar / year
Automatic cupping, milking, and cleaning robots (AMS)
- Fully automated milking systems (AMS).
- Automates cupping, milking, feeding during milking, and equipment cleaning.
- Reduces labour requirements in the milking parlour
- Improves efficiency and consistency of milking operations. Monitors live animal health and milk quality.
Per unit costs range from ~$250 k (AUD) - $350 k + (AUD)
Note these are industry estimates: Check system costs, integrations and function with virtual fencing collars on an individual basis.
GEA Dairy Robot
Customisable robotic dairy setup.
Options for voluntary milking in single or multi-box configurations or group batch milking - depending on free, partial or fully guided cow traffic preferences. Preps, milks, post drip all in same liner. Unique quarter level SCC feature.
Also offers CowScout neck collars for cow health monitoring.
Potentially suited to medium herd (50-300).
Estimated Cost
N/A (quote required)
DeLaval VMS
Customisable guided or free flow robotic installation. Flow responsive milking with single point prep of teat before 4 cups attach.
Potentially suited to medium to large (100-500+) herd
Estimated Cost
~ AUD 130,000 – 200,000+ (new)
Lely Astronaut
I-flow, free flow design so cows walk straight in and out of am open box, robotic milking system. Cows stand naturally whilst hybrid arm attaches between back legs - cows milked whilst eating supplements in a bail.
Can be modulated to incrementally add or re-sell robotic units.
Also offers Lely Tags for animal monitoring.
Potentially suited to small to medium herd (50 - 300)
Estimated Cost
~ AUD 180,000 – 220,000+ (new)
Dairymaster – Swiftflo Revolver Rotary
Cows step onto a rotating platform where they are identified - batch milking.
Milking cluster cups attach automatically in 8 seconds, feed is dispensed according to each cow’s profile.
Also offers the MooMonitor+ to track animal activity.
Potentially suited to medium to very large herd (200-1000+)
Estimated Cost
N/A (quote required)
Milk monitoring
Levno
Produce top quality milk and prevent costly human and mechanical errors that can spoil your milk and impact your profits. Levno for Milk monitors temperature, volume, agitation and milking time throughout the milking system.
Estimated Cost
$95 / month - $120 / month
Picking platforms
- Reduces physical demands of harvest work to broaden the labour pool
- Improves productivity through ergonomic and efficient picking systems
Billo Platforms
Versatile, diesel or electric powered orchard platforms designed to enable work at elevated positions in the tree canopy for harvesting, pruning, thinning and tree training.
Estimated Cost
N/A (quote required)
Robotic Processing
- Transports and processes produce or equipment during harvest without manual operation
- Reduces labour requirements for in-field transport tasks
Lyro
The Australian software and automation company enables robots to perform picking and packing tasks for a wide range of crops. See case studies of Lyro in action at commercial farms across Australia on their website.
Estimated Cost
Pay per amount packed (quote required)
Robotic harvesting
- Automates fruit and vegetable picking to reduce reliance on manual labour
- Monitors yield and defect rates during harvest for quality control
Dogtooth
Autonomous strawberry-picking robots using multi‑angle imaging to count, pick, and grade fruit in real-time.
Currently deployed on commercial farms in Tasmania and other regions; provides 7–14 day yield forecasts and defect tracking.
Estimated Cost
N/A (quote required)
Burro
Collaborative robot that autonomously follows workers in orchards or vineyards, carrying and towing loads.
Uses AI, computer vision, and Innovative-precision GPS to navigate without a central system, ideal for repetitive manual tasks.
Estimated Cost
N/A (quote required)
Robotic harvesting
- Reduces labour burden and costs for repetitive outdoor tasks, especially in row crops, orchards, vineyards.
- Cuts emissions (electric drivetrain), lowers soil compaction, and improves operational uptime with modular attachments.
Agovor
Electric autonomous tractor designed for row-based crops, capable of towing smart trailers to perform tasks like spraying, mowing, and hauling.
Uses GPS/RTK, sensors, and IoT connectivity to operate safely and efficiently, managed via mobile or web-based interface.
Estimated Cost
N/A (quote required)
Smart instruction and knowledge capture tools
- Reduces downtime, onboarding time, and reliance on key individuals by making expert knowledge instantly accessible.
- Helps upskill staff and improve task consistency, especially where language, literacy, or handover gaps exist.
Resolution
A practical multi-tool that enables all your farm data to be stored in a simple app. It can map your farm, herd and processes as well as employee tasks and timesheets. It allows everyone in your team to contribute.
Estimated Cost
N/A (quote required)
Knowby
Mobile platform for capturing and sharing how-to instructions as videos, photos, and voice notes.
Enables real-time access to visual SOPs and training resources for seasonal workers, contractors, and new staff.
Estimated Cost
~ AUD 4-5 / user / month