Lely Exos: Fully Autonomous Fresh Grass Feeding & Harvesting

Lely Exos: Fully Autonomous Fresh Grass Harvesting and Feeding System

Modern agriculture is undergoing a massive shift. While traditional farming methods have carried the sector for generations, today’s dairy farmers face a complex web of modern challenges—ranging from severe labor scarcities and high fuel prices to nutrient losses that occur when preserving grass as silage.

The Lely Exos is stepping up to solve these exact pain points. The fully autonomous system focuses on providing zero-grazing smart feeding—using an all-electric vehicle that autonomously mows, transports, distributes fresh grass in the barn, and applies liquid fertilizer in a single continuous operation.

The Problem: Labor-Intensive Forage Management and Silage Losses

High Labor Constraints:

Manually cutting, hauling, and feeding fresh grass daily—often called summer barn feeding—is incredibly labor-intensive, making it impractical for large-scale operations.

Nutrient and Energy Losses:

Standard silage production and storage methods cause the grass to lose 10% to 20% of its initial nutritional value, driving up the need for expensive bought-in feed concentrates.

Soil Damage from Heavy Machinery:

Conventional heavy tractors and silage wagons cause severe soil compaction and damage delicate grass swards, especially in early spring or wet conditions.

The Solution: Autonomous 24/7 Zero-Grazing and Fertilization

Fully Automated Forage Cycle:

Operates automatically day and night to harvest fresh grass from fields directly accessible from the yard and distribute it fresh at the feed fence.

Maximizing Feed Value:

Provides cows with young, highly digestible fresh grass, which improves dry matter intake, cuts down on concentrate costs, and significantly reduces enteric methane emissions.

Immediate Precision Fertilization:

Features integrated liquid fertilizer spouts directly behind the cutter bar to precisely nourish the soil immediately after mowing, supporting circular farming.

Key Components and Features

Double-Knife Cutter & Protective Belts:

A specialized cutting bar that cleanly shears the grass, using soft plastic flaps to gently move it into the onboard bunker without crushing it.

Lightweight, Soil-Friendly Chassis:

Weighs just 3,400 kg and utilizes low-pressure tires combined with individual four-wheel drive and steering to prevent wheel slip and preserve the grass sod.

All-Electric Autonomous Navigation:

Employs GPS mapping, onboard sensors, and smart safety algorithms to safely navigate fields, cross cow traffic lanes, and return to its charging station independently.

Smart Ration Management Integration:

Connects with farm management software, allowing growers to input precise grass requirements per cow and schedule specific mowing patterns or field breaks.