Maximizing your robot’s capacity doesn’t always require major changes. Sometimes, the key lies in the small things, like brushing duration and cup connection time. If you're looking to reduce dead milk time, improve udder health, and get more out of each day, it starts with a closer look at the pre-milking process.

The Power of the Brush

Pre-milking stimulation isn’t just a formality, it sets the tone for the entire milking. Brushing triggers the cow’s natural milk ejection reflex by releasing oxytocin. But stimulation timing and quality make all the difference.

What works:

Standard setting of 2 brushing treatments for 2 seconds per teat is usually ideal.

It provides enough stimulation to increase milk flow and reduce dead milk time.

What to watch out for:

Reducing brushing may save time in theory, but often leads to slower milk let-down and longer milk times, especially in cows that aren’t fully filled.

Increasing brushing duration or number can help in specific cases, such as:

Restless cows

Dirty teats needing extra cleaning

Cows with slower milk ejection reflexes

The goal is balance, enough stimulation to encourage strong milk flow without unnecessarily extending robot time. Always track the impact of changes in Report 56: monitor milk speed, dead milk time, and total milking time.

Getting Cups Connected, Fast

Connection time is often overlooked, but it has a big influence on daily robot capacity. While the robot has up to 300 seconds to attach the cups, the best-performing farms are much faster, with less than 1.2 connection attempts per milking.

How to improve connection time:

Clean, clipped udders and tails make teat detection easier.

Calibrate robot components like the camera, laser, and weighing platform regularly.

Ensure that the weighing floor (on A3/A3 Next models) is functioning correctly.

Keep cameras and sensors clean to avoid misreads or delays.

Poor hygiene and long hair don’t just slow down the process, they create ideal conditions for bacteria. And reduced udder health means lower robot capacity in the long run.

The Bottom Line

Fine-tuning pre-milking might seem like a minor adjustment, but it directly impacts capacity, udder health, and overall farm performance. Shortening brushing or skipping steps may look efficient on paper, but it can backfire—especially if oxytocin doesn’t have time to do its job.

Take the time to review your settings with your Lely Farm Management Support advisor and measure the results. When your pre-milking routine is dialed in, the whole system runs smoother.