Robotic Milking and Grazing

Transitioning to automatic milking is a long-term investment in the future of your farm. Lely’s Farm Management Support (FMS) advisors provide ongoing support both before and after start-up, building a long-term relationship. During the transition, we work alongside you to develop tailored start-up and cow training plans, ensuring the transition aligns with your farm’s goals while minimising stress for both cows and farmers.  

Lely farm designs promote simple, free-flowing cow traffic, allowing cows to move easily between the paddock and dairy with minimal stress. The Astronaut’s I-Flow design supports this by providing clear, unobstructed entry and exit, encouraging cows to access milking comfortably and efficiently.

The Lely Grazeway can direct cows up to four different destinations, minimising the need for additional drafting equipment and simplifying cow movement around the farm. Together, these features improve the cows’ overall experience and can encourage more frequent voluntary milking visits.

Fresh pasture allocation is one of the strongest drivers of cow traffic and plays a key role in motivating cows to visit the Lely Astronaut throughout the day. As routine-driven animals, cows quickly learn and adapt to grazing schedules, often anticipating when the next fresh pasture allocation will become available.

It’s not uncommon to see cows waiting at the gate for their next paddock access. By strategically allocating fresh grass throughout the day, cow movement can be guided naturally, promoting consistent traffic and supporting voluntary milkings.