This article explores the role of automation on farms' technical efficiency (TE) in an expanding dairy sector.
We use a representative sample of Irish dairy farms that includes detailed data on automated technologies.
Research findings indicate the existence of two classes of Irish dairy farms: smaller, less intensive and larger, and more intensive farms. We find significant differences between the classes in relation to farm characteristics, input use, labour efficiency, and TE scores. Our findings also suggest that automation has a heterogeneous effect on farms' TE depending on farms' classification.
This article is published in the QOpen Journal of Agricultural, and Environmental Economics.