The digitalization of dairy farms is becoming a priority in order to increase yields and reduce costs. In Romania, the average yield is 4,500 liters per cow per year, compared to the European average of 7,000 liters, according to Eurostat 2024. The gap is mainly due to the lack of modern technologies and digital management.

The implementation of health monitoring sensors, milking robots, and farm management software can increase milk production by 10–15% and reduce veterinary costs by up to 20%. The necessary investments for a medium-sized farm are estimated at €100,000–250,000, with returns achieved in 5–7 years.

Farms in Western Europe have widely adopted these technologies, making them much more competitive. In Romania, only 12% of farms use digital systems, most of them through projects financed by AFIR and the CAP Strategic Plan (PNS).

For 2025, the digitalization trend in dairy farms is expected to accelerate, driven by processors’ demand for high-quality and traceable milk. Digitalization is no longer a luxury, but a condition for economic survival in the European market.

(Photo: Freepik)