Welcome to Vector Month at Lely Center Mid-Atlantic!
As November kicks off, and we prepare to indulge in some of the year’s finest cuisine, have you ever considered who’s taking care of your cows’ feast? We all have tales of when someone different takes charge of mixing feed and doesn’t quite follow the ration as closely as the regular mixer. While Grandma may get away with not adhering to the pumpkin pie recipe to the letter (and let’s be honest, it usually turns out better that way), the same leniency doesn’t apply to our bovine friends.
Cows thrive on consistency, and modern-day farmers understand the importance of working closely with their nutritionists to maintain a well-balanced ration. Feeding may seem like a straightforward task that doesn’t demand much of the day, but it’s undeniably one of the dairy’s most crucial activities. This is where Lely’s automated mixing and feeding robot, the Lely Vector, steps in.
The Vector operates on a “Feed to Need” principle. At one point in the day, it serves as a glorified Juno feed pusher, ensuring that feed remains within easy reach of the cows. However, what sets the Vector apart is its laser technology, which continually measures the feed fence’s height. When the amount of feed at the fence drops below the farmer’s set threshold, the Vector promptly returns to the kitchen and loads that specific group’s ration. Working tirelessly around the clock, the Vector ensures that feed is always available to the cows. This results in reduced competition at the feed bunk, improved overall rumen health, decreased feed waste, and numerous other benefits.
The Kitchen is where the magic unfolds. It handles the precise loading of ingredients. Depending on your farm’s setup, the Vector can be loaded from tower silos, commodity boxes, grain bins, the feed grabber, or any combination of these options. Through intelligent learning, the Vector loads with near-perfect accuracy. It can also manage multiple different rations, catering to heifers, dry cows, first-lactation cows, high producers, and every group in between. This ensures that each group receives its specific ration to meet their dietary needs.
We’re thrilled to showcase all the advantages of using the Vector this month. We’ll kick things off with our Nutrition Seminar.
If you’re a nutritionist eager to learn about the benefits of automated feeding from Lely North America representatives and two of our Vector farmers, please don’t hesitate to contact Abbie to RSVP.
To conclude the month, we are excited to be hosting the Eastern Regional Vector Tour on November 29th and 30th.
We welcome producers and team members to join us as we tour three vector farms in the Hagerstown, MD area. The first day will feature two farms utilizing a 2 MFR (Mixing Feeding Robot) Vector system with commodity boxes, and the second day of the tour will focus on a single MFR Vector system. In between farm visits, attendees will have the opportunity to hear presentations from Lely North America representatives. We would be delighted to have you join us on this tour! For more details or to register, please visit the website here or get in touch with us directly.
Throughout the month, we will highlight many of the features and benefits of this exceptional feeding solution on our social media pages. Whether you run a conventional dairy or a robotic one, we’d love to discuss how the Vector can seamlessly integrate into your operation. Our Capital Sales Specialists will be more than happy to meet with you to understand your specific needs, help design the kitchen that suits you best, and provide insights into a return on investment calculator. Welcome to Vector Month!