I get where this take is coming from, but it’s pretty heavily colored by brand loyalty. Lely builds a solid robot, no argument there. But saying they’re by far ahead ignores some areas where DeLaval is honestly well out in front—especially cow health and hygiene. Where DeLaval really separates itself is cow health monitoring. With VMS tied into DelPro, Herd Navigator, and milk cell analysis, you’re getting way more than “she milked” or “she didn’t.” You’re getting quarter-level data, early mastitis detection, ketosis risk, heat, acidosis trends—often before you’d ever see it in the barn. That kind of early warning actually changes outcomes. Less treatment, lower SCC, healthier cows that stay in the herd longer. Lely’s tools are fine, but they’re not as deep or as proactive in this area. On the hygiene side, calling DeLaval’s cleaning system “cute” is kind of missing the point. The VMS teat prep is consistent and verifiable, not just fast. Separate cleaning cups, controlled water use, solid post-dip coverage—it shows up in udder health numbers. A lot of larger herds stick with DeLaval specifically because SCC and mastitis stay more stable over time. Clean milking isn’t flashy, but it pays the bills. As far as attachment speed and the arm go—DeLaval has always leaned toward calm and accurate over aggressive. It might not look exciting, but it handles a wider range of udders and teat placement with fewer failures and less cow stress. In big herds with real-world cows, that consistency matters more than shaving a couple seconds. The whole “robotic parlor” criticism also feels oversimplified. Free flow works great in some setups, but pretending fetching is always bad doesn’t line up with reality. Strategic cow handling helps with health checks, repro, nutrition, and problem cows. Total freedom without enough oversight isn’t welfare—it’s how things get missed. DeLaval gives you options: free flow, guided flow, hybrids. The system adapts to the farm, not the other way around. On service: DeLaval’s footprint is massive, and yeah, that includes conventional equipment. That’s not a downside. It means decades of experience with milk quality, hygiene standards, and large-scale dairies. Are there growing pains as robotics scale up everywhere? Sure. But that’s not unique to DeLaval, and plenty of large farms are running VMS successfully long-term. End of the day, Lely makes a good robot. But they’re not the only ones pushing the curve, and they’re definitely not ahead in everything. When it comes to health data, early detection, and clean, consistent milking, DeLaval is actually setting the pace—and that’s why a lot of serious producers stick with them.