Colm O Donovan

Colm O’Donovan hasn’t looked back since installing his first Lely milking robot in 2018. In fact, he hasn’t milked a cow by hand since then.

Now operating two Lely Astronaut robots, Colm has broken new ground by becoming the first farmer using robotic milking to qualify as a finalist in the history of the NDC & Kerrygold Quality Milk Awards.

Farming near Kinsale, Colm runs a high-efficiency, high-output dairy herd. Cows average 2.5 milkings per day, frequently reaching three milkings during the spring. Milk yields regularly approach 40 litres per cow, with animals fed to yield and receiving between 1.5 and 2 tonnes of concentrate annually.

According to Colm, what truly sets the Lely system apart is the data-driven, low-stress and labour-light environment it creates. “The robot checks somatic cell count every third milking,” he explains. “That gives me real-time alerts on potential mastitis cases long before any visible signs appear.”

Breeding has also been streamlined. Neck collars track heat and health signals, allowing cows to be automatically drafted for AI. The result is reduced workload and greater breeding accuracy.

Adding a second robot 18 months ago allowed Colm to increase cow numbers while maintaining optimal throughput. With no full-time staff and all beef calves sold off-farm at three weeks of age, the operation remains highly streamlined and designed for solo management, supported by advanced technology and careful planning.

Around-the-clock milking brings additional efficiency benefits. The steady operation of the cooling system has reduced peak water demand on both drinker troughs and the plate cooler, improving overall resource efficiency.

Sustainability is a key focus on the farm. Colm operates comfortably within the middle nitrogen band, with a stocking rate of 3.3 LU/ha. Nutrient management is guided by annual soil testing, slurry is applied using LESS, and all waterways are fenced with buffer zones maintained. Hedgerows across the farm are also carefully protected.

Genetics and performance remain central to Colm’s system. With an EBI of €230 and milk solids averaging 531kg per cow, the herd is continuously improving through the use of high-EBI genomic AI sires. Replacement heifers are contract reared off-farm.

For Colm, robotic milking is more than a technological upgrade — it’s a system that underpins a future-proofed, smart dairy enterprise combining data-driven decision-making with practical, one-man efficiency.

As the first robotic milking operation to reach the NDC finals, Colm is paving the way for others, demonstrating that high-tech dairy farming can deliver both efficiency and exceptional milk quality.

Colm O’Donovan represents Barryroe Co-op in the 2025 NDC & Kerrygold Quality Milk Awards.