Discovery Collector 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.
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.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.| Discovery Collector Verified 2026-07-17 | 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 | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Last verified | 2026-07-17 | 2026-07-17 |
| Specifications | ||
| Power source | Battery, wireless charging pad at the central station | 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 | Compact low-profile unit sized to pass cross alleys and gate passages (exact dimensions not disclosed on product page) | 2,000 × 1,100 × 850 mm |
| Weight | Not disclosed | 700 kg |
| Min farm size | Sized per barn; C2 cleans barns up to ~120 cows | Not disclosed |
| Productivity | Continuous route-based cleaning; ~60% driving / 40% charging duty cycle (C2) | Up to 99 passes/day; <4 kWh/day at 100 cows and 14 passes (vendor) |
| Max speed | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
| Sensors | Built-in sensors for autonomous route navigation — no cables, wires or gutters required | 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 | Buy via the Lely Center dealer network | Buy via Wasserbauer and country distributors; distributed by BouMatic in North America |
| Ongoing cost | Electricity and water; wear parts; Lely Center service contract | Electricity; battery packs and auger wear parts; distributor service |
| Key outcome | ||
| Best verified result | Manure removal method Vacuum collection into onboard tank — manure removed, not displaced · vendor | Feed-pushing workload -70% · 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 (AT manufacturer) |
| 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.