High-quality milk in the tank is what every dairy farm is all about. Those who opt for automatic milking with the Lely Astronaut are assured of this. From cleaning and treating udders, milk quality controls, milk transport, cooling and the robot cleaning system: everything is designed to guarantee good-quality milk.
Healthy cows
By continuously monitoring the milk quality, you are assured of high-quality milk in the tank. In doing so, you also keep a close eye on the health of your cows. The system alerts you to any anomalies straight away, so that you can act fast if necessary.
Brush cleaning: the best results
The healthier the udders, the better the milk. That is why the Lely Astronaut is equipped with a unique brush cleaning system. Only the brushes clean the area around the teats and the underside of the udders. They remove even encrusted dirt and manure. Cleaning with brushes also stimulates milk let-down.
After cleaning each cow, the brushes are thoroughly disinfected to minimise the risk of cross-contamination.
Constant monitoring at source
As soon as the cow releases the milk, the Lely MQC (Milk Quality Control) system is activated. The MQC system provides an overview of a range of useful indicators of milk quality. These include somatic cell count, colour and conductivity. An indication is also given of fat, protein and lactose content. This also allows you to check overall cow health and feed matters. This monitoring happens automatically at every milking. The data are immediately converted into useable information. In the event of a deviation in the milk’s values, there is an option of separating the milk automatically.
The monitoring system is fitted into the robot arm, right next to the udder. By being placed so close to the source, the MQC monitors the quality of the milk accurately every quarter of an hour.
Nip mastitis in the bud
All dairy farmers try to prevent mastitis. Apart from causing a great deal of pain to the cow, mastitis also means a lower milk yield, higher medical costs and more work. The milk quality control system helps detect mastitis at an early stage. The optional MQC-C function regularly takes measurements of each cow’s somatic cell count. This ensures constant monitoring of cow health. Any deviations that could be of concern are shown immediately in Lely Horizon, our management platform. By taking action at an early stage, you ensure good well-being levels and high milk yield, all the while avoiding veterinary bills.