Lely has celebrated the delivery of its 50,000th to a family farm in the UK, marking a significant milestone for the Dutch robot manufacturer.

Since the launch of the company's first robotic milking machine in 1992, the Astronaut has been a ‘game-changer’ in atomising repetitive tasks.

Gijs Schloman, chief commercial officer from Lely, was on the farm for the unveiling and said: “We started very small, very slowly using new technology that nobody ever thought could milk cows without human intervention.”

Fast-forward more than three decades, he added that many dairy farmers now considered robots first when investing in milking technology.

The company's portfolio has also broadened to cover whole farm management, from feeding to manure management and processing.

There are now Lely Astronauts installed in 50 countries worldwide, milking 3m cows daily, and the information they process is helping farmers improve fertility, health and production, he added.

“Many farmers around the world have given confidence and trust to Lely, and we are very grateful you have opted for the red robot.”

He added: “We think we can contribute to the lifestyle of farmers. That’s important because we know how difficult it is to find successors. By changing the type of work and making the work more pleasant, we help to contribute to succession,” said Mr Schloman.

Taking delivery of the robot was father-and-son Stephen and David Cargill from Hollybank Farm near Templepatrick in Co Antrim, Northern Ireland.

One of the primary reasons they purchased the 50,000th Astronaut, and three other A5 machines to milk their herd of 180 Holsteins, was to improve their work-life balance.

David said: “You must have a quality of life in any job, and agriculture is one of the trickiest. Farming is repetitive, [but] it must be enjoyable, otherwise you can’t get good retention of staff.”

The Cargills previously milked three times per day through an 18-point swingover parlour, which took six hours and required two labour units per milking.

David said he was encouraged to move back into robots, albeit a different make, after eight years of milking through a conventional parlour, having been impressed at the support Lely’s English Center has provided since he invested in a Lely Vector feeding system two years ago.

“The support from designing the initial concept to the installation and after-sales support from the engineers has been absolutely fantastic.”

Stephen added: “We are humbled to receive the 50,000th robot and are very appreciative that Lely has chosen to bring it to our farm in Northern Ireland.”

For the Cargills, robots align with their goal to create a sustainable, enjoyable and labour-efficient dairy.

Stephen added: “We want to be here milking cows for generations to come, and that’s why we have made the investment – everything we do, we do for the long-term future.”