Lely Unveils Advanced Robotic Milking Systems
Sourse: dairynews.today
Lely introduces the A5 Next robotic milking system, along with two new products aimed at enhancing dairy farm efficiency and security.
An agricultural machinery company has unveiled the next generation of robotic milking systems and two new products. Lely, with centres in Yeovil (Somerset) and Holsworthy (Devon), has made significant enhancements to its A5 Astronaut model to boost functionality and minimise downtime. The upgraded A5 Next model, originally launched in 2018, is designed to automate chores like changing milk filters. The upgrade incorporates a novel operating system that allows technicians to carry out updates at the touch of a button and paves the way for remote servicing. Field trials of the A5 Next on 71 farms demonstrated a 10 per cent rise in milkings between alerts, fewer alarms and less downtime. The system is also capable of diagnosing issues and identifying the need for a technician.
A fully automatic milk filter eliminates the need for filter socks and saves costs, while the 2+ teat detection system on the redesigned robot arm helps in enhancing visibility, improving attachment times, and reducing stress during first-time milkings. The A5 Next will be available in the UK from July 2025, with the option for current A5 users to upgrade to the new software. However, the automatic milk filter is not compatible with sand-bedded systems. Moreover, Lely has introduced the Lely Hub and Lely Max, aimed at increasing farm efficiency and data security. The Lely Hub, a safety device for farm data, acts as a protective shield between the robots and the farmer’s computer or mobile. It ensures data security from cyberattacks, power outages, and hardware failures by storing data securely and facilitating automated backups. The Lely Hub will support one to eight robots and Vector users from 2026, with future compatibility planned across all Lely products.
Lely Max, a centralised control room for large-scale dairies with eight to 18 milking robots, will become commercially available from 2026. It centralises cleaning, cooling, and milk pumping, thereby reducing labour and saving shed space. The company estimates a 5 per cent increase in milk capacity due to shorter cleaning cycles and reduced cow milking waiting times. The introduction of these three products was announced at the Future Farm Days in Maassluis on June 24. André van Troost, CEO of Lely, said: "Business continuity is crucial for our farmers.
Both in terms of the reliability of the milking processes and digital resilience. Astronaut Max and Astronaut A5 Next are designed to provide farmers with stability in their dairy operations and offer future-proof automatic milking solutions. Furthermore, with the increase in digital services on the farm, data security is essential. Lely Hub supports our farmers by improving digital safety between Lely solutions and the internet."
A fully automatic milk filter eliminates the need for filter socks and saves costs, while the 2+ teat detection system on the redesigned robot arm helps in enhancing visibility, improving attachment times, and reducing stress during first-time milkings. The A5 Next will be available in the UK from July 2025, with the option for current A5 users to upgrade to the new software. However, the automatic milk filter is not compatible with sand-bedded systems. Moreover, Lely has introduced the Lely Hub and Lely Max, aimed at increasing farm efficiency and data security. The Lely Hub, a safety device for farm data, acts as a protective shield between the robots and the farmer’s computer or mobile. It ensures data security from cyberattacks, power outages, and hardware failures by storing data securely and facilitating automated backups. The Lely Hub will support one to eight robots and Vector users from 2026, with future compatibility planned across all Lely products.
Lely Max, a centralised control room for large-scale dairies with eight to 18 milking robots, will become commercially available from 2026. It centralises cleaning, cooling, and milk pumping, thereby reducing labour and saving shed space. The company estimates a 5 per cent increase in milk capacity due to shorter cleaning cycles and reduced cow milking waiting times. The introduction of these three products was announced at the Future Farm Days in Maassluis on June 24. André van Troost, CEO of Lely, said: "Business continuity is crucial for our farmers.
Both in terms of the reliability of the milking processes and digital resilience. Astronaut Max and Astronaut A5 Next are designed to provide farmers with stability in their dairy operations and offer future-proof automatic milking solutions. Furthermore, with the increase in digital services on the farm, data security is essential. Lely Hub supports our farmers by improving digital safety between Lely solutions and the internet."
