Colm O’Donovan has never looked back since installing his first Lely robot in 2018. In fact, he hasn’t milked a cow by hand since then.

Now operating two Lely Astronaut robotic milkers, Colm is breaking new ground as the first farmer using robotic milking to qualify as a finalist in the history of the NDC & Kerrygold Quality Milk Awards.

Located near Kinsale, Colm runs a high-efficiency, high-output herd averaging 2.5 milkings per cow per day, with cows often reaching three milkings in spring. Milk yields regularly touch 40 litres per cow, and all cows are fed to yield, receiving between 1.5 and 2 tonnes of meal per year.

What sets the Lely system apart, Colm says, is the data-rich, low-stress, labour-light environment it enables. “The robot checks SCC every third milking,” he explains. “So I get real-time alerts on potential mastitis cases before they become visible.”

Cows are automatically drafted for AI using neck collars that track heat and health signals, reducing workload and improving breeding precision.

A second robot was added just 18 months ago to match increased cow numbers and maintain throughput. With no full-time staff and all beef calves sold off-farm at three weeks, this is a streamlined solo operation, backed by serious technology and thoughtful design.

With milking taking place around the clock, the cooling system runs steadily and efficiently, which has significantly reduced peak water demand on troughs and the plate cooler.

From a sustainability perspective, Colm stays within the middle nitrogen band with a stocking rate of 3.3 LU/ha and year-round nutrient management based on annual soil tests. Slurry is spread via LESS and all waterways are fenced, with buffer zones maintained and hedgerows protected.

With an EBI of €230 and milk solids of 531kg/cow, Colm is focused on efficiency and cow performance, using high-EBI genomic AI sires to continue improving the herd. His replacement heifers are contract reared.

Ultimately, Colm’s robotic system is not just a technological upgrade; it’s a philosophy. He’s created a future-proofed, smart dairy enterprise that marries data-driven decisions with practical, one-man efficiency.

As the first robotic farm to reach the finals, he’s blazing a trail for others, and proving that high-tech doesn’t mean hands-off when it comes to quality.