Cow and farmer friendly
Cows benefit from robotic milking. They are more relaxed, healthier, and reward farmers with more milk.
Lely has launched three new products to make on-farm tasks easier for farmers.
A new barn system called Lely Sphere, Lely Exos, an electric vehicle that mows, loads and dispenses grass in the barn and Lely Horizon, a “decision support platform” to replace its T4C management system.
Lely says some of its innovations are compatible for all markets around the world. However, pilot farms trialing the new products are mostly in Europe.
The innovations were launched at the Lely Future Farm Days digital event last week.
The company says the vision of the farm of the future is centred on livestock: repetitive tasks are automated, allowing dairy farmers to concentrate on things that are important to them.
Farms are completely robotised and operational 24/7. The farm of the future is based on the principle of allowing cows to move freely, so they can behave naturally, and their welfare is guaranteed, it says.
“We live in a rapidly changing world where the population continues to grow,” says André van Troost, chief executive of Lely.
“We desperately need farmers, because we expect the demand for food to increase by 70% by 2050. The impact of farming on the environment is also coming under increasing scrutiny, and regulations are becoming stricter.
“Dairy farmers therefore have to change the way they work to guarantee their future.”
New Zealand dairy processors are welcoming the Government’s commitment to continuing to push for Canada to honour its trade commitments.
An educational programme, set up by Beef + Land New Zealand, to connect farmers virtually with primary and intermediate school students has reported the successful completion of its second year.
The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) has welcomed a resolution adopted by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly to declare 2026 International Year of the Woman Farmer.
Waikato herd health veterinarian Katrina Roberts is the 2024 Fonterra Dairy Woman of the Year.
Trade Minister Todd McClay says New Zealand has no intention of backing down in a trade dispute with Canada over dairy products.
Horticulture NZ chief executive Nadine Tunley will step down in August.
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