Aswestepintoanewyear,weextendour heartfelt gratitude to all our partners, customers, and friends who made 2024 remarkable. Your passion, innovation, and resiliencecontinuetoshapethefutureof farming, and it’s a privilege to journey alongsideyou
2025 promises new challenges, fresh opportunities, and the chance to achieve even greater things together. Let’s continue to push boundaries, foster community, and celebrate the dedication thatdefinesusall
Here’s to a year filled with progress, connection,andsharedsuccess.Thankyou for your trust and partnership. We look forward to creating the future of dairy farming together.
Welcometoourfirstnewsletterof2025 Senttoyouonaquarterlybasistoensureyou arekeptuptodatewithalltheimportantnews andupdatesofwhatishappeninginandaround the business The quarterly newsletters will include a range of different topics from all departmentswithinLelyAtlantic,ifthereisany topicsyouwouldliketoseewithinthefuture newslettersemailg.salders-hill@lely.comandI will do my best to accommodate for future series.
Our First Webinar of 2025
We had the absolute pleasure of filming our upcoming webinar on Udder Health, which is now LIVE!!! Click here to watch - https://lely1.wistia.com/medias/lyq9e63pfb
What’shasbeen goingonin Lely Atlantic
Dairy Tech 2025
TheAtlanticteamheadedoverto dairy tech in Feb at Stoneleigh Park LelycenterMidlandshada fantasticstandandwealsoheard fromMikeSteeleon“ourrobots arealliesinthemastitisfight”
Gijs Scholman Visit to Atlantic
Great to have our Chief Commercial Officer, Gijs Scholman, with us today! We started the day with a cluster update with the team lead by our Cluster Manager, Caroline, followed by a fantastic hot lunch. Afterwards, we had the pleasure of hearing an insightful global presentation from Gijs A brilliant day of teamwork, discussions, and innovation and a great end to the week!
Great Place to Work Survey 2025
AtLelyAtlantic,webelievethata strong team culture starts with listening.Today,wetookpartinthe Great place to work survey, ensuringthateveryvoiceisheard. To celebrate our team spirit, we also enjoyed a team fuddle and cupcakes because great conversationsareevenbetterwith goodfood! �� Thankyoutoallwho tookpart!
IFS Planners
On March 12th, we gathered all IFS Planners from across the Atlantic to strengthen team collaboration and exchange insights.Theeventaimedtoshare knowledge and ideas that could bebroughtbacktoLelyCenters. It was fascinating to learn how each LC utilises IFS and has embraced the Lely Way of Working (LWoW) Hearing about thepositiveimpactofIFSandthe LWoWwithplanningandhotline services across the LC network wasincrediblymotivating. A huge thank you to everyone whoattended,bothinpersonand virtually, for making the day a success!
Astronaut Analyse and
Optimise!
Big Congratulations to Jim, Brid, Sinead, Alex, Grainne and Maurice on your new certification in Astronaut Analyse and Optimise! A wonderfully sunny week in Ireland and some great times had!
NineLelyCentersfromtheClusterAtlanticregion gatheredatLelyCampusinMaassluisforthefirst CBMoftheyear.TheeventfocusedonLelyCenter development,witheachcentersharingthechanges they implemented to enhance the customer experienceover2024andhowtheywillbemoving forwardwiththesefor2025
Akeydiscussionpointwasemployeeengagement, recognisingthatLely’snetworkisoneofitsgreatest strengths AllLelyCentershavebeenadaptingtheir businesses to improve customer service, with a strategic goal of increasing the install base within thefutureframework.
On Friday, teams from LC Longtown, Yeovil, and HolsworthyvisitedLCZuidwoldetoexploreBusiness Central asystemdesignedtostreamlinedataflow withinandbeyondtheLelyCenter.Thisnextstepin efficiencyaimstomakedatathedrivingforcebehind businessdecisions
The new Lely website
Our new global Lely.com website is now live. The website enhances our digital presence, providing a more cohesive, user-friendly experience for our customersaroundtheworld Iteventuallyhelpsusto further improve our customer journey. Have you discoveredthewebsiteyet?
AspecialthankstoourLelyAtlanticMarketingTeam, Shade, Charlie and James for getting this up and running and a big thank you to our Lely center Marketeerswhohaveworkedextremelyhardtoget yourlocalisedlandingpagessetupintime,withfresh images,testimonialsandevents.
Innovatingfeeding:VectorMFRNextlaunched
WiththelaunchofLelyVectorMFRNext,wearetakingthenextsteptowardsrealisingourvisionof the Farm of the Future. The new mixing and feeding robot provides dairy farmers with a robust solutiontooptimisetheirfeedingstrategywhiledrasticallyreducinglabour Youcanreadallabout VectorNext’sspecifications–suchasitsframe,whichcancarryupto800kilos,makingitsuitable forvariousfarmtypes
Advanced feeding strategy optimisation
TheVectorMFRNexthelpsdairyfarmersoptimisetheir feeding routine with an advanced automated system thatgivescowsaccesstofreshfeeddayandnight.This promotestheirnaturaleatingbehaviour,inwhichthey can follow their own individual eating rhythm. It supports healthy digestion, which can lead to higher milk production Thanks to precision feeding, feed is dosedoptimallyperanimaloragegroup.Thisreduces waste and contributes to higher feed efficiency and future-proofoperations.Byfeedingself-producedfeed per animal group and also buying in the right feedstuffs,farmershavethebestpossiblecontrolover feedcosts.
"Feedingstrategyisanimportantpartofoperationson cattlefarms Anoptimalfeedingstrategyoftenleadsto increased milk or meat yields," says Serge Loosveld, Managing Director Business Team Feeding "This is easier to achieve with automated feeding Also, we know that the 'labour' factor plays a big role in switching to automated feeding While the average dairyfarmcontinuestogrow,thenumberofhoursina day remains the same. With the Vector MFR Next, farmerscancountonareliablemachinethatresponds tobothchallenges."
Flexibility for every farm
Whether it's narrow feeding alleys, multiple barns or slopingterrain,theVectorMFRNextfitsmanyfarms. Thenewfeedcentreevenofferstheabilitytoloadtwo feedingrobotssimultaneously,increasingtheVector’s effectiveness on farms with over 800 cows. Furthermore,usingelectricaltechnologymakesadirect impactonloweringCO2footprintthroughlowerdiesel consumption, leading to a quieter and more energyefficientworkingenvironmentaroundthefarm
Inaddition,dairyfarmersnowhaveeasieraccesstodata andtheoperationalstatusoftherobotviatheupdated app. This saves time, simplifies management and gives farmersmoretimetorespondquicklytotheneedsof theirherd.
Working on the Farm of the Future
Today'sintroductionisanothersteptowardsourvisionof theFarmoftheFuture.Ourdairyfarmingsolutionsfocus onfiveimpactareas,whicharebasedonbothfarmerand consumer needs. In this way, we aim to turn today's challengesintotomorrow'sopportunities.
“When I made the decision to change to robotic milking, some people said to me I must be mad because I’d be getting away from physically seeing the cows on the farm,” he said.
FeedbackprovidedbytheAstronautA5andtheFarmManagement Support (FMS) team at Lely Center Mitchelstown provide the Mulcahyswithdetailedinsightsintoherdhealthmanagement
“Wepickedoutafewcows,didasensitivitytestonthemandthat identifiedwheretheproblemwas.Wewereabletoidentifythose cowsthenandthentreatthemaccordingly.Ithendidacellcheckwith myvet–throughthemilkrecordings–andthevetidentified28,29 cows for selective dry cow But when we went through the informationandcorrespondeditthroughtherobot,Ionlyendedup havingeightcowsforselectivedrycowsotheinformationtherobot providedwasinvaluable”
For journeys for 2025, please book 6-8 weeks before the intended date - this must also be suitable with Atlantic to ensure a team member can assist on the Journey
For more information on Lely Journeys please contact gsalders-hill@lely.com to book a space
For more information on the ways of working for Lely Journeys - Click Here
For the blue tongue statement please Click Here this must be signed and returned to cluster before the Lely Journey takes place
Currently only options for booking in Q2 are for May, then Q3 is Sept and Q4 is Oct and Nov
Terms and conditions apply
20yearsoftheDiscovery
2025 marks the 20th anniversary of the Lely Discovery series manure cleaning robots. It all started with the introduction of the Discovery Classic in 2005. Since then, Lely kept on innovating and now thereisacomprehensiverangeofDiscoverymanurerobotshelpingthousandsofbarnsworldwideto become cleaner, healthier and more efficient What started as an innovative idea has grown into an iconofreliabilityanddurability.
InaninterviewClemensDuijnisveld,HeadofPropositionofthe Business Team Manure at Lely, shares insights into the developmentandevolutionoftheDiscoveryseriesmanurerobots. Learn about the challenges faced, the solutions found, and the futureofmanuremanagementindairyfarming.
With the dairy farmer and cow at heart Besidesthefurtherdevelopmentofthemilkingrobot,attheend oftheninetiesLely'sfocusshiftedtotheprocessingofmanurein thebarn.Backin1999,Lelyfiledthepatentforacompactdevice withtwowheelsandasupportpointtoslidemanurethroughthe barnwhiledrivingbetweenthecows.However,ittookuntil2005 beforetheDiscoveryClassiccouldactuallydriveitsfirstrounds throughthebarn.'Developmentandinnovationareaboutpushing the boundaries This involves trial and error,' explains Clemens Duijnisveld,HeadofPropositionintheBTManureatLely.'Withthe milking robot, the cow came to the robot, with the Discovery Classic,thestartingpointwasthattherobotworksbetweenthe cows So,themachinehadtobecompactandsafe 'Themanure robotwasdesignedwiththedairyfarmerandthecowatheart.It takesawayatime-consuming,repetitivetaskfromthedairyfarmer, drivesinbetweenthecowsrespectingfreecowtrafficandensures cleanerfloors,whichcancontributetothecows'hoofandudder health.
Improve and refine
Tonameafewcrucialcomponents.'Westartedwithamagnetic compassasnavigationfortheDiscoveryClassic Butwithallthe steelstructuresandfencingincowbarns,thatturnedoutnotto work'Also,theso-calledhorizontal'guidancewheel'thatallows theDiscoveryClassictoturnquicklyandshorthadtobe'forgiving'. 'Ifitgetsstuck,therobotmustbeabletocorrectitselfagain,' Clemensexplains.Thetyresalsorequiredattention.Thetrickwas to get enough grip on the slatted floor, but also to ensure sufficientlifetime.'Pneumatictyresworkedbutdidnotlastlong enough Ultimately,thesolutionwasfoundinpur-filledtyres'The weighttokeeptheClassiconthegroundinitiallycamefromablock ofleadinthemachinebutwaseventuallyreplacedbyconcrete 'Cheaperandmoreenvironmentallyfriendly.'
The development of the first Discovery robots
TheDiscoveryClassicevolvedintoan'S',towhichthe'SW'wasadded, orScraperwithWater Inwell-ventilatedbarns-especiallyinwarm weather-abiofilmofmanuredevelopsontheslattedfloorsthatis difficulttogetcleanandcanbecomeslippery TheDiscoverySW offersasolutionbyfirstsprayingsomewaterandthenpushingthe manure 'Theideastartedtomakeawaterreservoirintheconcrete block that can hold about 30 litres of water,' explains Clemens. Meanwhile,fortheDiscoveryS/SW,theE-link,whichalloweddairy farmerstoprogramtherouteofthemanurerobotthroughthebarn, wasalsoreplacedbytheLelyControlapponthesmartphone
A Discovery for every barn
TheDiscoverySandSWpushthemanureintothemanurepitthrough openingsintheslattedfloor.Atypeoffloormainlyfoundinthe Netherlands, but also in Germany, Belgium and Denmark We wouldn'tbeLelyifwedidn'tpushtheboundariesfurther.'Learning andinnovationneverstops,'indicatesClemens ‘Withthisdrive,over thepast20yearswehavebuiltourrangeofmanurerobotsintothe mostcomprehensiveportfoliointhemarketwithaDiscoveryfor everybarn.’In2016anall-newDiscoverywaslaunchedwithalsoa newname;theDiscoveryCollector,thatcollectsmanureinsteadof pushingit.Thismadeusthefirsttoofferasolutionfor(semi)closed floors Arevolutioninthemarket,whichopeneduphugemarket potentialforus.Afterall,approximately70%ofbarnsworldwidehave a (semi)closed floor In 2023, we added the Collector C2 to the portfolio,withmoredrivingcapacityduetoanimprovedbatteryand wirelesschargingandtheabilitytochargeanddumpatonecombined station.Andmostrecently,inSeptember2024,withthelaunchofthe 'sandflush'accessory,wewereagainthefirsttocomeupwitha solutionforbarnswithsandbedding.
Explore Grazing with Robots – Three Farm Visits in Ireland!
Join us and go and visit three exceptional grazing farms across Ireland, where robotic milkingandpasture-basedsystemsworkhandin hand. See firsthand how Lely automation supports efficient grazing, cow health, and productivity. Whether you're customers are consideringrobotsorsimplycuriousaboutthe future of dairy, these visits offer a great opportunitytolearnfromexperiencedfarmers withtheLelyGrazeway-ContactMikeSteelefor moreinformation.
