Pasture-based automated milking systems have seen a production increase over that of conventional systems.
A recent study showed that Lely milking robots achieve, on average, 10% more milk per year than conventional milking systems and 3.5% more milk compared to other milking robot manufacturers.
Lifetime production of your herd has the potential to increase with the Lely Astronaut robotic milking system due to your cow's ability to stay on-farm for longer and less stress on their udders to produce milk. Lely cows have the longest production days when compared to all other dairy cows, from any other milking system.
Unlimited access to the basic needs for less stress
We believe cows should have free access to milking at all times. For cows to be able to visit the robot regularly, it is important that they can rest sufficiently and relieve pressure on their feet and legs. Restricting one or more of these basic needs (such as standing on concrete waiting to be milked twice daily) will affect cow behaviour and subsequently, milk production. By removing those milking restrictions and offering the cow unlimited access to her basic needs, she has the freedom to do what feels natural for her. The Lely Astronaut is designed from this point of view.
Optimal conditions with few obstacles
Robotic milking is different from conventional milking in many ways. One of the main differences is that cows can be milked more in line with their natural behaviour. They are free to graze, milk and rest naturally. To maximize this concept, our robot box ensures cows are milked in optimal conditions with as few obstacles as possible — no farmer intervention, no barking dogs, no motorbikes, no pressure. The Lely Astronaut A5 automatic milking system features a walk-through box design, called the I-flow concept. In this concept, the cow walks straight in and out of the milking box without having to make any turns, making visits to the milking box easier for the cow and, in turn, increasing throughput and capacity of the robot.
Best visiting behaviour
Cows are extremely feed-driven, making the incentive to visit the milking robot for a supply of concentrate feed within the box very enticing. With the ability to tailor the concentrate to a per-cow basis, you can adjust quantities for each cow, based on her stage of lactation and production performance. In addition to this, a new feed break every eight hours stimulates the cows to move freely to the barn to be milked. In turn, they graze more, produce more milk and voluntarily return to the milking robot when they are ready to be milked.
Lifetime production
Pasture-based automated milking systems have seen a production increase of at least 10% over that of conventional systems and over 20% in some instances, because the robot is built around the cow herself. Cows like to be milked within a low-threshold system. Our truly unique robot arm concept for the fastest and most gentle cup attachment, as well as the I-flow concept for easy entrance and exit from the box, are clear examples of this strategy.