Astronaut Max vs Butler Gold Pro
Two robotic barn machines, one verified table. Every figure below is sourced and dated; vendor claims are labelled and kept apart from independent results.
Centralised milking architecture for large herds (announced August 2025) — up to 18 Astronaut robots share one control room for vacuum, cleaning, cooling and long-distance milk transport.
Best for: Dairy farms of 500–1,100 cows wanting robot milking without one full utility set per box.Free-driving feed pusher and concentrate dispenser from Austrian feeding specialist Wasserbauer — a 700 kg, 24 V robot that navigates by 5 mm floor magnets set roughly every 2 m, makes up to 99 passes per day and, unlike a plain pusher, uses a special auger to throw feed loosely back to the trough without pressing it. Its 120-litre container (or 2 × 60 l for two components) doses concentrate, minerals or liquids onto the base feed along the way; the drive-over charging station manages batteries automatically.
Best for: Dairy barns wanting more than a pushing drum: fresh, loosened feed plus in-pass concentrate/mineral dosing from one robot, with typical energy use under 4 kWh/day for a 100-cow barn at 14 passes.| Astronaut Max Verified 2026-07-16 | Butler Gold Pro Verified 2026-07-17 | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Task | Robotic barn | Robotic barn |
| Autonomy | Fully autonomous | Fully autonomous |
| Country of origin | Netherlands | Austria |
| Availability | Pilot / limited | 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 · centralised vacuum, cleaning and cooling units | 24 V battery — 2 × 105 Ah standard (up to 600 m/pass), optional 2 × 160 Ah (up to 1,200 m/pass); brushless maintenance-free motor |
| Required tractor power | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Dimensions | Central control room + in-barn robot boxes (layout-specific) | 2,000 × 1,100 × 850 mm |
| Weight | Fixed installation | 700 kg |
| Min farm size | 500 cows | Not disclosed |
| Productivity | Up to 18 connected Astronaut robots · 500–1,100 cows | Up to 99 passes/day; <4 kWh/day at 100 cows and 14 passes (vendor) |
| Max speed | Not applicable | Not disclosed |
| Sensors | Astronaut robot sensor suite · centralised system monitoring | Magnet navigation — 5 mm floor magnets at ~2 m intervals |
| Price & model | ||
| Price (EUR) | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Native price | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Business model | Phased commercial rollout from 2026; validation farms since 2023–2024 | Buy via Wasserbauer and country distributors; distributed by BouMatic in North America |
| Ongoing cost | Service contract via Lely Center; consumables centralised | Electricity; battery packs and auger wear parts; distributor service |
| Key outcome | ||
| Best verified result | — No verified outcome | Feed-pushing workload -70% · vendor |
| EU context | ||
| CE marking | CE marking expected at commercial rollout; system in validation | CE marked |
| Machinery Regulation | To conform with Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 at market placement | Compliant — Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 (AT manufacturer) |
| CAP subsidy | Livestock-modernisation schemes typically apply; confirm per member state at rollout | 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.