Financial clarity with leased Lely milking robots

A worn-out milking parlour forced dairy farmer Daniel Jørgensen from Ærø to reconsider his future. Should he stop dairy farming altogether, or invest heavily in a new milking setup? Health issues in his arms and shoulders ultimately decided the direction: milking robots were the only realistic option.

However, purchasing new robots was financially out of reach. When Daniel learned that Milcotec offered leased milking robots, he reached out — a decision that marked the beginning of a more predictable economy and a significantly improved daily life.

Nørgården, Ærø – a family-run dairy farm

Daniel Jørgensen has operated Nørgården on the island of Ærø since 2003. The farm has 126 dairy cows, of which approximately 110–115 are milking cows.

Milking is handled by two leased Lely Astronaut A2 milking robots, achieving around 2.6–2.7 milkings per cow per day. Besides Daniel himself, the farm employs one full-time worker, with additional help from family members when needed.

Growing up on a farm made the choice of becoming a farmer natural — staying in farming, however, required a new approach.

A worn-out milking parlour raised critical questions

Already when Daniel took over the farm, the milking parlour was heavily worn. Over the years, maintenance increased and efficiency declined.

Quotes for new robots were collected, but the numbers simply did not add up. At the same time, physical strain from parlour milking intensified.

Stopping dairy farming was not an option — so health concerns ultimately made the decision: robotic milking was the way forward.

Older robots did not scare him away

Before committing fully, Daniel purchased an older milking robot from a local colleague who was exiting dairy farming. The robot was placed in the barn to familiarise the cows with the new system.

The colleague had previously bought the robot from Milcotec and had experienced reliable service. When Daniel discovered that Milcotec also leased milking robots, he contacted the company for a site visit and layout assessment.

The final solution was the installation of two used Lely Astronaut A2 robots, now around 16–17 years old. Their age was never a concern.

All spare parts are included in the lease agreement. Beyond the fixed monthly lease, Daniel only pays hourly labour for service work.

This setup provides predictable costs and financial peace of mind.

Time savings and increased flexibility

Daniel had been told that robotic milking would not save time — but his experience proved otherwise.

By switching from a milking parlour to robots, the farm saves approximately three hours per day.

Daily life has become far more flexible. Tasks can be postponed, family needs handled, or errands run — the cows are still milked.

Daniel sums it up clearly: life with robots has become significantly better compared to the old milking parlour.

Calm cows and improved animal health

Milcotec technicians arrived two days before installation to prepare all infrastructure. Daniel handled the concrete work himself, ensuring everything was ready when the robots arrived by crane.

Milcotec assisted with both system training and cow training.

The early placement of the old robot in the barn proved effective. Cows adapted quickly, and contrary to expectations, udder health improved.

According to Daniel, veterinary costs have been cut in half compared to the milking parlour period. Treatments are now rare.

The cows are noticeably calmer — almost too calm, as Daniel jokes — and the barn atmosphere has improved significantly.

Why lease instead of buy?

For Daniel, leasing offered a key advantage: exit flexibility.

If robotic milking did not work in his barn, he could return the robots without heavy financial loss. Purchasing new robots would have meant substantial depreciation within the first year.

Expensive components and unpredictable repair costs also played a role. With spare parts included in the lease, Daniel knows his fixed expenses in advance.

Only labour hours are billed separately — a simple and transparent model.