Retrofitting Milking Robots
A cost effective installation of robotics
Explore The Possibility of Retrofitting
Robotic retrofits leverage existing infrastructure to effectively lower expenses while maintaining current lane and paddock configurations. Lely's Farm Management and Technical Support teams possess the proficiency required to ensure the success of robotics implementation on a range of Australian dairy farms. We encourage you to get in touch with your nearby Lely Centre to explore a potentially budget-friendly approach to enhancing your dairy operations.
What are the benefits of retrofitting milking robots?
Cost Savings
Building a new shed involves substantial expenses whereas retrofitting primarily focuses on upgrading existing infrastructure.
Preserve Infastructure
Retrofitting allows you to retain and maximize the use of your current barn or milking shed. You can leverage existing structures, reducing waste and environmental impact.
Adapting to needs
Retrofitting offers flexibility to adapt to changing farm needs and advancements in technology. You can gradually integrate robots as your budget and requirements evolve.
Easy adoption for cows
Cows adapt quickly to robotics if they are retrofitted, as they are already accustomed to being milked in the shed.
Lilydale, Tasmania
Robert & Ally Arnold - 3 Robot Retrofit
"So, we had 2 options, build a 50-unit rotary from scratch, or retrofit robots into the old 16-unit herringbone"
Fourth generation farmer Robert and wife Ally Arnold are innovative dairy farmers from Lilydale Tasmania. After originally milking in a 16 aside herringbone for 20 years, the two bought their neighbours farm which had another herringbone.
They planned to milk across both dairies however, Robert remarked that they would had to of spent "a fair bit of money" to start the old herringbone back up again. To manage costs and improve their work-life balance, Robert and Ally decided to retrofit 3 Lely Astronaut A5 milking robots into the existing infastructure of their neighbour's farm.
Glenfyne, Southwest Victoria
Mat Lyne - 2 Robot Retrofit
"Without looking into it, that is the mental barrier, you just assume it's too expensive…"
By leasing robots and implementing a cost-effective retrofit design, Mat Lyne built a successful dairy operation from the ground up. Discover how Mat was able to overcome hurdles like these as well as having minimal capital, by working with Lely and DLL to have a system tailored to his needs.
Springhill, South Australia
Heath Williams - 2 Robot Retrofit
"Don't consider putting in a new conventional dairy if you haven't at least investigated robots, because you might be surprised."
An old ten double-up dairy that hadn’t been used in 20 years was given new life when Heath decided to retrofit it with two milking robots. The shed was gutted, and minimal concreting was done to prepare the shed for the robotic system.
Heath estimates that by utilising the existing infrastructure, he achieved an impressive cost saving of approximately $300,000.
Strzelecki, Gippsland
Joyce - 2 Robot Retrofit
"The two Astronaut robot boxes retro-fitted straight into the herringbone dairy where the cows would normally go through. No changes to paddocks were needed."
Peter and Larissa Joyce own a 220 acre dairy farm where they milk 140 cows. Their previous dairy was a 12 aside swing over herringbone, milking in a traditional twice a day batch milking system. After discussions with Lely, the Joyce family converted their herringbone milking shed into a robotic system by retrofitting robots on either side of the old pit.
Can a retrofit work for you?
As market leaders in not only robotic milking, but also retrofitting new dairy systems into existing infrastructure, contact your local Lely Center and discover if this could work for you!
Brochure Downloads
For much more detailed information about our products and services.
Lely Astronaut A5 Milking Robot
Explore the possibilities of automatic milking and our services.Grazing Brochure
Explore how grazing and robotic milking work together.