Discovery Collector vs Vector
Two robotic barn machines, one verified table. Every figure below is sourced and dated; vendor claims are labelled and kept apart from independent results.
Lely's free-navigating manure robot for solid and semi-closed barn floors — instead of scraping manure ahead of itself it vacuums the slurry into an onboard tank, spraying water at the front for better intake and at the back to leave grip on the floor. Dumping, wireless charging and water refilling happen at one central station; the C2 generation handles barns of up to roughly 120 cows and routes are managed from a mobile app.
Best for: Dairy barns with solid or semi-closed floors (including cross alleys and sorting-gate passages) that want manure removed rather than pushed — cleaner floors and hooves without floor channels or cables.Lely's automatic feeding system — a feed kitchen plus a battery-electric mixing-and-feeding robot (MFR) that weighs, mixes and dispenses fresh ration on demand, scanning feed height at the fence 24/7. Current generation is the Vector MFR Next (launched March 2025) with 800 kg loading capacity; over 1,000 systems sold, in use in 31 countries. Sold and serviced in Switzerland via Lely Center Härkingen.
Best for: Dairy and beef farms wanting frequent, precise group-specific fresh feeding without a mixer wagon and daily tractor passes.| Discovery Collector Verified 2026-07-17 | Vector Verified 2026-07-16 | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Task | Robotic barn | Robotic barn |
| Autonomy | Fully autonomous | Fully autonomous |
| Country of origin | Netherlands | Netherlands |
| Availability | Available now | Available now |
| EU market | CE-marked | CE-marked |
| Lead time | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Last verified | 2026-07-17 | 2026-07-16 |
| Specifications | ||
| Power source | Battery, wireless charging pad at the central station | Battery-electric robot · mains-powered feed kitchen |
| Required tractor power | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Dimensions | Compact low-profile unit sized to pass cross alleys and gate passages (exact dimensions not disclosed on product page) | Feed kitchen sized to farm; MFR robot with mixing tub |
| Weight | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Min farm size | Sized per barn; C2 cleans barns up to ~120 cows | Feed kitchen + robot sized from mid-size herds upward |
| Productivity | Continuous route-based cleaning; ~60% driving / 40% charging duty cycle (C2) | MFR Next loads up to 800 kg per run — 35% more than previous generation |
| Max speed | Not disclosed | Not applicable |
| Sensors | Built-in sensors for autonomous route navigation — no cables, wires or gutters required | Feed-height scanning at the feed fence · feed grabber with weighing in the kitchen |
| Price & model | ||
| Price (EUR) | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Native price | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Business model | Buy via the Lely Center dealer network | Buy via regional Lely Center; installation project incl. feed kitchen |
| Ongoing cost | Electricity and water; wear parts; Lely Center service contract | Service contract via Lely Center; electricity; mixing-auger wear parts |
| Key outcome | ||
| Best verified result | Manure removal method Vacuum collection into onboard tank — manure removed, not displaced · vendor | Feed loading capacity +35% · vendor |
| EU context | ||
| CE marking | CE marked | CE marked |
| Machinery Regulation | Compliant — Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 (NL manufacturer); Swiss market access via CH–EU Mutual Recognition Agreement | Compliant — Regulation (EU) 2023/1230; Swiss market access via CH–EU Mutual Recognition Agreement |
| CAP subsidy | Eligible under rural-development livestock schemes; CH — cantonal structural-improvement credits may apply | 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.