M²erlin Milking Robot vs Triomatic
Two robotic barn machines, one verified table. Every figure below is sourced and dated; vendor claims are labelled and kept apart from independent results.
The independent alternative to the big-three milking robots — Fullwood (milking robots since 1996, rebranded from Fullwood JOZ) has built the M²erlin since 2014 around an open box, natural walk-through entrance/exit and a quiet electric robot arm. Ten years of incremental upgrades include TDS2 laser udder recognition (2020), FullCount real-time somatic cell counting (2021) and the FULLSENSE software platform (2023). Hundreds of farms run it worldwide; the Meridian variant does robotic batch milking in groups.
Best for: Dairy farms wanting a low-stress open-box robot with per-quarter monitoring from a long-established independent maker, or batch-milking herds (Meridian) that keep parlour-style routines with robot labour.Modular automatic feeding system from Dutch feed-mixer specialist Trioliet — a feed kitchen (T10–T40 variants, from stationary mixers to feed floors for silage blocks and bales) supplies a robot that mixes and distributes rations around the clock. Robots come suspended, battery-powered or wheel-driven; the wheel-driven WP 2 300 carries a 3 m³ chamber with two vertical stainless-steel augers and a dual-side discharge belt, powered continuously from an overhead rail so it never runs out of battery. Dual-Flow mixing handles batches from roughly 60 kg.
Best for: Dairy and beef farms wanting a full automatic-feeding chain (storage, mixing, distribution) from one supplier, with feed-kitchen options matching how you store forage — bunkers, blocks, or bales.| M²erlin Milking Robot Verified 2026-07-16 | Triomatic Verified 2026-07-17 | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Task | Robotic barn | Robotic barn |
| Autonomy | Fully autonomous | Fully autonomous |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom | Netherlands |
| Availability | Available now | Available now |
| EU market | CE-marked | CE-marked |
| Lead time | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Last verified | 2026-07-16 | 2026-07-17 |
| Specifications | ||
| Power source | Mains electric; energy-efficient electric (non-pneumatic) robot arm | All-electric; wheel-driven WP robot fed continuously from overhead power rail (2 × 40 A, 400 V) — no battery depletion |
| Required tractor power | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Dimensions | Open-box design with natural straight-through cow entrance and exit | WP 2 300 robot: ~3.6 m long × 1.37 m wide; min feeding-alley width ~2.57 m |
| Weight | Fixed installation | ~2,250 kg net (WP 2 300), max payload ~1,250 kg |
| Min farm size | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Productivity | Higher milkings per cow per day claimed vs conventional parlour routines | 3 m³ mixing volume; Dual-Flow mixing accurate down to ~60 kg batches; feeds around the clock |
| Max speed | Not applicable | Not disclosed |
| Sensors | TDS2 laser teat/udder recognition · FullQuestFC per-quarter conductivity · FullCount real-time somatic cell count sensor · AfiCollar ID integration | Track-guided/rail-referenced navigation; weighing for ration accuracy |
| Price & model | ||
| Price (EUR) | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Native price | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Business model | Buy via Fullwood dealer network worldwide | Buy via Trioliet dealer network |
| Ongoing cost | Service contract; liners and consumables; software/herd-management subscription terms not disclosed | Electricity; auger and conveyor wear parts; dealer service contract |
| Key outcome | ||
| Best verified result | Milking frequency Higher number of milkings per cow per day (voluntary traffic) · vendor | Feeding frequency Multiple fresh, group-specific rations around the clock · vendor |
| EU context | ||
| CE marking | CE marked | CE marked |
| Machinery Regulation | Placed on the EU/UK markets by Fullwood under the applicable machinery regimes | Compliant — Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 (NL manufacturer) |
| CAP subsidy | Eligible under rural-development livestock schemes in several member states | Eligible under rural-development livestock schemes |
"—" means the manufacturer has not disclosed the figure; we never estimate silently. Model either machine's payback with your own numbers on its ROI calculator page.