Last month, during one of our route meetings, a great discussion came up around a question we hear from customers often: “Why Lely chemicals?” It’s a fair question — especially when there are plenty of alternative products on the market designed for traditional parlors that might look similar at first glance. The truth is, Lely chemicals are designed specifically for robotic milking systems, and there’s a lot more to it than price per gallon. Thankfully, we have a fantastic resource in our corner when it comes to milk quality — Doug Marty, Milk Quality Specialist for Lely North America. I reached out to Doug to share his insight on why using the right chemicals for robots matters, for both performance and longevity of your system and its components.
Here’s what Doug had to say:
Milk quality is a top priority on dairy farms, and Lely takes this initiative to heart. By partnering with Lely Centers, producers can realize a sustainable, profitable, and enjoyable future in farming. Chemicals used on farms have a direct impact on the bottom line, but cost per container may not be as simple as it seems. First, it is important to understand that heat cleaning in the Astronaut uses high temperatures (>190F) and flow-through cleaning to shorten cleaning to increase operation time. Flow-through cleaning’s advantage over circulation cleaning is the way water moves in one direction from robots to milkhouse, allowing soil load to be carried out quickly while maintaining temperatures.
Here are a few points for attention:
- Product is free from chlorine, silicates, sulphuric acids, and nitric acids
Cleaners containing these products are not suitable for heat cleaning due to the increased aggressiveness of these chemicals at higher temperatures, which could result in damage to sensors, rubber, and stainless-steel parts of the Astronaut.
- Product is uniquely formulated
Simply using an acid or alkaline without additives will result in organic residues, mineral deposits, and insufficient cleaning power. Examples of additives are surfactants, sequestrants, oxidizers, corrosion inhibitors, and defoamers.
- Products are suitable for heat cleaning
It is important to verify product labels to determine the suitability of heat cleaning between 170 -200F. Chemicals not rated for cleaning within those temperature ranges could contain ingredients or components not suitable for the Astronaut, potentially causing corrosion or damage.
- Product is applicable for flow-through cleaning principle
Lely utilizes flow-through cleaning, which is a shorter cleaning time than circulation cleaning (used by conventional and even most competitors) Products designed for circulation cleaning require a longer cleaning time.
- Sufficient hardness stability
Alkaline products should have a water hardness stabilizer able to manage up to 20gpg (grains per gallon) to prevent mineral deposits. Lely recommends in its installation guidelines that it be below 10gpg.
With 30 years of experience, Lely has developed a comprehensive understanding of cleaning the Astronaut and external components. Lely Astri products are specifically formulated to be the most efficient at cleaning the Astronaut.
Should you have more questions on Lely’s line of Astri, Quaress or Frigus line of chemicals, please consult your route person or anyone at Lely Center Mid-Atlantic for advice and other innovative solutions that contribute to your farm management.
We really appreciate Doug and the valuable resource he is — both to our team and to our customers across the region. At the end of the day, our goal at Lely Center Mid-Atlantic is to help every farm get the most out of their robotic milking system — not just today, but for years to come. Using the right products, maintaining consistent routines, and leaning on the expertise available through Lely all play a big part in that success. We appreciate Doug taking the time to share his knowledge and help us all better understand the “why” behind Lely chemicals. If you ever have questions about your cleaning program or want to review what you’re currently using, our team is always happy to help.