MORE dairy farmers are opting to replace traditional dairies with automatic milking systems in a bid to overcome staffing problems and improve lifestyle.

Across the nation, installations of machines designed to milk cows without the need for human labour have increased.

Numbers are expected to rise further as farmers now view "robots" as a viable option when upgrading their dairies.

Lely service manager Jan Irzyk said installations of their Astronaut robotic milking system took off last year after robotic milking was proven successful in a grazing and pasture-based dairy system.

"At the beginning of last year ... there were 10 units milking in Australia and New Zealand," he said.

"At the moment there are 40 units and we are installing (another) 11 units. The interest is growing."

Lely have been selling robotic milking systems since the early 1990s. The first was installed in Australia almost nine years ago.

Mr Irzyk said Lely had sold 10,000 units worldwide, mostly in Europe.

In Australia, Lely robots have been installed throughout Victoria, in South Australia's South East, northwest and northeast Tasmania, as well as at Nowra in NSW.

Mr Irzyk said the main driver for installing robots has been the labour shortage in the dairy industry, however, improved lifestyle and increased milk yield had also convinced some farmers to adopt the technology.

"Our customers are mainly people just about to do something with their dairy. Their dairy had become obsolete," he said.

With prices for robots remaining the same for the past six years - $220,000-$250,000 per robot depending on individual requirements and farm location - Mr Irzyk said they were becoming more affordable for farmers.

Each robot can milk 60-90 cows per day depending on production.

DeLaval district service manager and large herd specialist, David Widdicombe, agreed interest was increasing as the number of farmers installing and inquiring about the DeLaval voluntary milking system had grown.

"(Recently) the increased interest is a result of the long-term positive outlook for the industry," he said.

DeLaval have installed or are installing 15 units in Victoria, South Australia, NSW and Queensland.

Many farmers chose the VMS as a result of injuries caused from the physical demands of milking cows.