The world’s first combined live robotic milking and feeding system demonstration at an exhibition will be staged at the Livestock Event, to be held at The NEC, Birmingham on 2 and 3 July by its organisers the Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers. The new feature will complement a display of robotic equipment from the world’s leading milking machine manufacturers.

The demonstration will comprise 40 loose housed cows milking though a Lely Astronaut A4 system, whilst the Lely Vector automatic feeding system will ensure they have continual access to a self-mixed ration in the feed passage.

This live demonstration organised by Lely in Machinery Hall 16 will not only be of interest to dairy producers, but also to beef finishers seeking to improve livestock performance and farm efficiency, says RABDF Event’s chief executive, Nick Everington.

“The new demonstration will provide a unique live opportunity for all dairy and beef farmers to see a world first - robotic milking technology combined with robotic feeding technology, all under one roof and at one event. That’s not all; visitors will also have the opportunity to compare the latest robotics offered by the world’s leading milking machine manufacturers located in the milking zone in the main exhibition halls.”

Lely’s Tomás Cooney comments: “Our first live robotic demonstration at the Dairy Event in 2006 was an overwhelming success attracting over 5,000 visitors. Since then we have successfully demonstrated the Juno feed pusher in the live mixer wagon demonstrations, however  automated feeding and milking of a herd at the Livestock Event will be a world first and we expect tremendous interest in this new technology.

“The Livestock Event at The NEC is the ideal venue to conduct this demonstration being the UK’s largest livestock trade show and the easiest accessed in the UK. We also expect farmers to fly in from many countries overseas with it being just a 15 minute undercover walk from Birmingham International Airport.”