Liners, daily routines and maintenance
For an optimal milking process, we want to milk quickly (effective in time), gently (maintaining the comfort and well-being of the cow) and completely (milk out most of the available milk). To help achieve this optimal result, the liner choice, condition and maintenance are of major importance to this.
Milking
How to maintain your cow’s teat liners for optimal udder health
Wash and clean
Before replacing or repairing something, first wash the robot and rinse with cold water. In particular, the areas you want to inspect include the STDS, teat cups, cup cords and twin tubes. This ensures that you can work more easily and hygienically.
Figure 1: Teath liners
Silicone and rubber teat liners*
Whether you are milking with silicone or rubber liners, you are advised to replace them in time: silicone after 10,000 and rubber after 2,500 milkings. Lely Horizon gives an attention signal when it is time to replace these; remember to reset Horizon after replacing.
Changing the liners (figure 2) becomes an easy job when you use the specially designed tool. If you do not have access to this tool, please consult your local Lely Center.
Figure 2: Change of a teath liner on a Lely Astronaut
Bleed hole
A clean bleed hole is crucial for optimal milking and milk transport to the milk jar. A blocked bleed hole causes reduced milk flow, which results in a slower cup take-off and incorrect milking on one or more quarters. A higher Dead Milk Time (DMT) may even occur, with increased connection attempts and failures as a result. A specially designed bleed-hole needle is delivered with each robot. Lely advises you to clean the bleed holes twice a day.
In addition to this check, please check the twin tubes visually for cracks and/or other damage.
Duplo covers
Duplo covers prevent teat cups from getting tangled and/or cracked, which may cause a critical alarm. Although the duplo covers themselves are made of solid plastic, some maintenance by cleaning is important. Any dirt and/or other contamination build-up in this area are a potential risk for bacteria growth.
Figure 3: Duplo covers getting changed
Cup cords
The cup cords ensure that the teat cups are attached securely to the mothership during connection. Secondly, the cup cords retract the teat cups to the mothership after milking, thus preventing the cups from touching the ground and getting dirty. Lely advises you to check the cup cords at least once a week for wear/damage. With grazing or sand bedding in particular, this becomes even more important due to harsher conditions. When conditions require it, cup cords can be exchanged for cup chains.
Summary
As part of the daily routine, clean and check the teat cups, liners, twin tubes/duplo covers, STDS and cup cords. Keeping these parts in good condition primarily prevents unwanted down time and secondly ensures a good milk quality and decreases the risk of udder health-related issues. You may also use Lely Horizon Report 56, ‘Robot performance’, to monitor, for example, DMT/MT differences. You can read about the details and functionalities of Report 56 in this article. Once again, prevention is better than cure.
For further detailed information you can also check Help in Lely Horizon
*Please note that rubber liners are not available in the USA/Canada.
Other Farming Insights
Why farmers choose the Lely Discovery Collector
When it comes to barn hygiene, every farmer can recognise themselves in at least one of the following challenges:
- Labour shortages and succession planning – Skilled labour is hard to find, and automation offers a sustainable solution.
- Maintenance headaches – Conventional systems require frequent rope changes and repairs, costing time and money.
- Deep bedding stress – Managing sand or other bedding materials adds complexity.
- Limited cleaning with traditional scrapers – Corners and tight spaces often remain dirty, impacting hygiene.
The Lely Discovery Collector is the proven answer to these problems. Designed for barns where traditional systems can struggle, it combines robust engineering, intelligent operation, and reliability to clean every corner, even the hard-to-reach areas, day and night. For farmers who want consistent hygiene, healthier cows, and less manual labour, the Discovery Collector is the smart choice.
The first solution for dense barn floors: the Lely Discovery Collector
Keeping your barn clean is essential for cow health, milk quality, and overall farm efficiency. But what if your barn has dense floors, sand bedding, or irregular layouts? Traditional scraping systems often struggle in these conditions. That’s why Lely developed the Discovery Collector, the first manure robot designed specifically for dense barn floors.
This innovative solution combines robust engineering, intelligent operation, and proven reliability to deliver consistent cleaning in even the most demanding environments. It’s not just a manure collector, it’s a smarter way to keep your barn hygienic and your cows comfortable and clean in all areas of the barn.
Why reliability and adaptability matter in automatic manure cleaning
If you’re considering automatic manure cleaning, two questions usually come first: “Will it work in my barn?” and “Will it keep working?” The Lely Discovery Scraper is built to answer both. With proven technology, robust design, and exceptional fit across different barn layouts, it’s a safe, smart step towards cleaner floors, healthier cows, and a more efficient routine.
