Going Rogue Self-milking cows are the cornerstone of this creamery's award-winning cheeses.

AT ROGUE CREAMERY in Oregon's Rogue Valley, when it's time for the cows to be milked, there's no need for a farmhand. Instead, the cows milk themselves-with the assistance of two robots named Charlie and Matilda.

- Amelia Schwartz

Here's how it works: When a cow feels ready to be milked, she walks toward one of the robots. It identifies the cow by her ear tag, adjusts its sizing accordingly, and estimates how much milk she should have in her udder before spray-cleaning each teat and gently milking the cow. (While all of this is happening, the robot also feeds the cow a snack.) The robots are also programmed to sort out the cows that need additional attention-like if they are in heat or need a vaccine-before allow- ing them to exit. "That reduces the need for us to be inside the barn with all the cattle," says Rogue Creamery dairy farm manager Zach Rose. "We're removing ourselves as much as we