increase font size
The Lely Astronaut A1 launched 25 years ago.
Milking robots maker Lely overnight unveiled its new Astronaut A5 machine.
The new robotic milker was designed after observation of cow-machine interaction and feedback from farmers.
Lely says the Astronaut A5 (pictured below) combines proven automatic milking principles with unmatched reliability, ease of use and cost efficiency.
“The new A5 milking robot means stress-free milking for both the farmer and their cows,” it says.
The launch was done at the Lely Future Farm Days, held at its headoffice in The Netherlands.
“At Lely, we feel that healthy and stress-free cows mean more milk in the tank,” the company says.
The company says it has been proven that cows feel comfortable and perform well in Lely’s barn environment with free cow traffic, the I-flow concept and spacious milking boxes.
With the A5, cow comfort has been further improved with a new hybrid arm: silent, faster, energy efficient and more accurate, it results in consistent milking. Instantly following the cow’s every movement during milking, and remaining close to the udder, it quickly corrects itself in the case of any unexpected movement. This ensures a fast and thorough milking process, even with heifers. With the new Teat Detection System (TDS), post-milking teat spraying has been improved by pre-scanning the udder before spraying, ensuring optimal udder hygiene and limiting the risk of contamination.
The redesigned, intuitive user interface makes automatic milking easy to understand for everybody. From a cow’s first milking to everyday maintenance, all relevant information is available on one single page. Instant actions, such as feed allocation, cow-specific routing and daily maintenance tasks are just one click away. The Astronaut A5 is designed to deliver top-level usability, accessibility and serviceability, Lely says.
With 2025 marking the 30th anniversary of its first milking robot being installed in Belgium in 1995, Lely says it has taken automated milking to the “next level” with the release of the latest version of the Astronaut Series - the A5-Next.
Dairy automation company Lely reported a 3.4% decline in total turnover last year but notes that sales are picking up.
The De Leeuw family has been running their dairy farm in Kaitake, Taranaki, for over 20 years.
The daily chore of hosing or floodwash could be a thing of the past if you have Discovery Collector C2 on your milking shed floor.
Robotic milking can open the door to many different management tools driven by data received in the farm office or via hand-held devices.
Acclaimed fruit grower Dean Astill never imagined he would have achieved so much in the years since being named the first Young Horticulturist of the Year, 20 years ago.
The Ashburton-based Carrfields Group continues to show commitment to future growth and in the agricultural sector with its latest investment, the recently acquired 'Spring Farm' adjacent to State Highway 1, Winslow, just south of Ashburton.
New Zealand First leader and Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has blasted Fonterra farmers shareholders for approving the sale of iconic brands to a French company.
A major feature of the Ashburton A&P Show, to be held on October 31 and November 1, will be the annual trans-Tasman Sheep Dog Trial test match, with the best heading dogs from both sides of the Tasman going head-to-head in two teams of four.
Fewer bobby calves are heading to the works this season, as more dairy farmers recognise the value of rearing calves for beef.
The key to a dairy system that generates high profit with a low emissions intensity is using low footprint feed, says Fonterra program manager on-farm excellence, Louise Cook.
OPINION: Microplastics are turning up just about everywhere in the global food supply, including in fish, cups of tea, and…
OPINION: At a time when dairy prices are at record highs, no one was expecting the world's second largest dairy…
