Auto Milker
Complete guide to the Auto Milker in Starsand Island, covering how to unlock this Expert Rancher automation station, blueprint cost, placement in barn enclosures, automatic cow milking behavior, milk collection, storage integration, and strategies for efficient ranching automation.
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Overview
The Auto Milker is an automation station in Starsand Island that automates the process of milking cows. It is an Expert Rancher unlock, representing one of the final quality-of-life upgrades for players who have invested heavily in the ranching profession. Once placed inside a barn enclosure with cows, the Auto Milker collects milk automatically each day without any manual interaction, freeing you to spend time on other activities.
How to Unlock
The Auto Milker blueprint is unlocked by reaching Expert Rancher rank in the Professions system. The Rancher profession questline progresses through several tiers, each requiring you to raise animals, produce animal products, and complete specific tasks at Green Pasture Ranch. Expert Rancher is the highest tier, meaning you must have completed all prior ranching quests before this blueprint becomes available.
The blueprint costs 15,000 coins and is purchased from the ranching vendor's terminal. This is a significant investment, so make sure you have a steady income from selling animal products, crops, or other goods before purchasing it.
Crafting and Materials
After purchasing the blueprint, the Auto Milker is crafted at Worktable II or higher. The recipe includes:
Material | Quantity | How to Obtain |
|---|---|---|
Steel Plate | 3 | Process Steel Ingots at the Cutter |
4 | Crafted from Rubber Tree Sap at the Furnace | |
Copper Pipe | 2 | Crafted from Copper Ingots at the Cutter |
Ancient Gear Parts | 2 | Analyze Common Ore Chunks at the Ore Analyzer |
Glass | 2 | Crafted from Sand at the Furnace |
The Rubber and Copper Pipe components reflect the machine's tubing and suction mechanism. Glass is used for the milk collection container.
Placement
The Auto Milker must be placed inside a barn enclosure that contains cows. It cannot function outside a barn or in an enclosure without cows. Place it from your inventory like any furniture item, positioning it on the floor of the barn interior.
Placement rules:
Must be inside a barn enclosure (not outdoors or in your house).
The barn must contain at least one cow.
One Auto Milker can service all cows within the same enclosure.
If you have multiple barns with cows, each barn needs its own Auto Milker.
Place it near the barn entrance for easy access when collecting milk.
How it Works
Once placed, the Auto Milker operates automatically on a daily cycle:
Each in-game morning, it checks all cows in the enclosure for milk readiness.
Cows that are ready to be milked are milked automatically. Cows that were already milked that day or are not old enough to produce milk are skipped.
Collected milk is stored inside the Auto Milker's internal inventory.
You can interact with the Auto Milker at any time to collect the stored milk.
The milk collected is identical to what you would get from milking cows by hand. Milk quality depends on the cow's happiness, health, and breed, not on the collection method. A well-fed, happy cow produces the same quality milk whether milked manually or by the Auto Milker.
Milk Production Factors
The Auto Milker does not change the underlying milk production mechanics. The following factors still determine how much and what quality of milk your cows produce:
Factor | Effect on Milk |
|---|---|
Cow happiness | Higher happiness increases milk quantity per session |
Cow health | Sick or underfed cows produce less milk or none at all |
Feed quality | Premium feed (like Golden Hay) improves milk quality |
Cow breed | Different breeds produce different base milk quantities |
Barn cleanliness | Dirty barns reduce cow happiness over time, indirectly lowering output |
Keep your cows well-fed and your barn clean even after installing the Auto Milker. The machine automates the milking action, but animal care is still your responsibility.
Milk Uses
Milk is one of the most versatile animal products in the game:
Item | Description |
|---|---|
Milk is used in numerous dishes including soups, baked goods, desserts, and drinks. | |
Selling | Milk sells for a steady profit at shops and can be a reliable income source. |
Gifting | Several NPCs enjoy milk as a gift, boosting friendship levels. |
Cheese crafting | Milk can be processed into Cheese at the Cooking Station, which sells for more and is used in advanced recipes. |
Butter crafting | Combine milk with a Churn station to produce Butter for cooking and selling. |
Storage and Collection
The Auto Milker has an internal storage capacity that holds several days' worth of milk. You do not need to collect milk every single day, but you should check the machine every 2 to 3 in-game days to prevent it from filling up. When the internal storage is full, the machine stops milking until you empty it.
Collected milk goes directly into your inventory when you interact with the Auto Milker. From there you can transfer it to a storage chest, refrigerator, or use it immediately in crafting and cooking recipes.
Comparison with Manual Milking
Aspect | Manual Milking | Auto Milker |
|---|---|---|
Time cost | Must visit each cow individually every day | Zero daily time investment |
Milk quality | Same as Auto Milker | Same as manual milking |
Missed days | Milk is wasted if you forget | Machine collects automatically, stored until pickup |
Setup cost | None | 15,000 coin blueprint + crafting materials |
Multiple barns | Visit each barn manually | Need one Auto Milker per barn |
Pairing with Auto Shearer
The Auto Milker is one of two Expert Rancher automation stations. The other is the Auto Shearer, which automates wool and fiber collection from sheep and alpacas. Together, these two machines fully automate the daily animal product collection cycle. If you raise both cows and sheep/alpacas, purchasing and placing both machines is highly recommended.
Both machines follow the same blueprint purchase, crafting, and placement patterns. They share similar material costs and both require Expert Rancher status.
Strategies and Tips
Buy the Auto Milker blueprint as soon as you reach Expert Rancher. The 15,000 coin cost pays for itself quickly through consistent milk sales and saved time.
Place the Auto Milker before expanding your herd. It is much easier to manage 6 or more cows when milking is automated.
Check the machine every 2 to 3 days to collect milk and prevent the internal storage from filling up.
Keep feeding and cleaning your barn on schedule. The Auto Milker only automates the milking action, not animal care.
Use the steady milk supply to run a Cheese or Butter production line. Processed dairy products sell for significantly more than raw milk.
If you have multiple barns, prioritize placing Auto Milkers in barns with the most cows to maximize time savings.
Combine with the Auto Shearer for complete ranching automation. With both machines, your only daily barn task is feeding and cleaning.
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