Astronaut A5 Next 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.
Robotic milking system — cows milk on their own schedule around the clock; the A5 Next (June 2025) adds a new OS with over-the-air updates, laser+camera teat detection and an automatic milk filter.
Best for: Dairy herds of 50–120 cows seeking to cut milking labour and lift yield per cow.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 A5 Next 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 | Available now | Available now |
| EU market | CE-marked | CE-marked |
| Lead time | ~20 wk | Not disclosed |
| Last verified | 2026-07-16 | 2026-07-17 |
| Specifications | ||
| Power source | Mains electric · vacuum + compressed air | 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 | Single box ~3.5 × 2.5 m footprint | 2,000 × 1,100 × 850 mm |
| Weight | Fixed installation | 700 kg |
| Min farm size | 50 cows / unit | Not disclosed |
| Productivity | ~60 cows per robot | Up to 99 passes/day; <4 kWh/day at 100 cows and 14 passes (vendor) |
| Max speed | Not applicable | Not disclosed |
| Sensors | Laser + camera teat detection · milk MDi sensors · cow ID | Magnet navigation — 5 mm floor magnets at ~2 m intervals |
| Price & model | ||
| Price (EUR) | €165,000 per unit, installed (indicative) | Not disclosed |
| Native price | €165,000 | Not disclosed |
| Business model | Buy · finance; national livestock-modernisation grants | Buy via Wasserbauer and country distributors; distributed by BouMatic in North America |
| Ongoing cost | €4,500/yr service; consumables + energy | Electricity; battery packs and auger wear parts; distributor service |
| Key outcome | ||
| Best verified result | Milking labour −73% · vendor | Feed-pushing workload -70% · vendor |
| EU context | ||
| CE marking | CE marked | CE marked |
| Machinery Regulation | Compliant — Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 | Compliant — Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 (AT manufacturer) |
| CAP subsidy | Eligible under rural-development livestock schemes | 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.