Наталя ХандусенкоThat's Life
6 August 2026, 14:21
2026-08-06
The latest technologies on a farm in Cherkasy region: how Dutch exoskeletons save the backs of Ukrainian milkmaids
At one of the dairy farms in Cherkasy region (the name of which is not being disclosed for security reasons), an experiment was launched to test special exoskeletons to protect the health of workers and make their daily work easier.
The farm currently has 750 cows, which are milked three times a day. Each shift is staffed by just two milkmaids, who are subjected to a tremendous amount of physical strain. The milking machine alone weighs over a kilogram, and after hundreds of repetitions by the end of a 4-hour shift, it feels significantly heavier. The exoskeleton is intended to break this cycle of fatigue.
At one of the dairy farms in Cherkasy region (the name of which is not being disclosed for security reasons), an experiment was launched to test special exoskeletons to protect the health of workers and make their daily work easier.
The farm currently has 750 cows, which are milked three times a day. Each shift is staffed by just two milkmaids, who are subjected to a tremendous amount of physical strain. The milking machine alone weighs over a kilogram, and after hundreds of repetitions by the end of a 4-hour shift, it feels significantly heavier. The exoskeleton is intended to break this cycle of fatigue.
This is a lightweight mechanical structure weighing only 2.5 kg, which is attached to the back and adjusted with straps to the body type of a particular person, writes "Suspilne".
Developed in the Netherlands, this patented model is specifically designed for the needs of dairy farms. Despite the fact that it is still an innovation for Ukraine, it is already successfully used by over 1,500 farms in 40 countries around the world.
The mechanism accurately replicates human movements, creating additional support when lifting and fixing milking units.
The approximate cost of one such passive exoskeleton is about 5,000 euros.
According to the co-owner of the supplier company, Oleksandr Nazarko, the main task of the device is to relieve critical tension from the muscles of the back, shoulders, and arms, which suffer the most from monotonous work.
The first reviews are positive. Milkmaid Khrystyna Stetsenko, who has been working on the farm for two months and previously complained of constant pain in her joints and back, shared her impressions after the test: "I don't feel it at all, it's easy. Well, of course, at first it's unusual, but then it's easy, it seems to help itself."
If the current testing in real conditions is successful and the feedback from milking operators remains positive, the farm management plans to purchase two such exoskeletons on a permanent basis.
