Lely
Feeding cows with a smartphone
Multinational with its own patent office
A cattle farmer types the menu for the cows and the amount of feed straight into his smartphone. In response, a robotic feeding system gives the cows exactly what they need, on time, 24 hours a day and seven days a week.
This is one of Lely’s most recent inventions and just one of the many ground-breaking innovations this agricultural technology company has developed since the 1940s. Since its establishment, Lely has grown into a multinational, operating in sixty countries, and is one of the world’s largest patent holders in the field of agriculture.
In the 1950s, Lely designed a manure spreader, which spreads the liquid manure out over the land by means of a spreading unit. Other famous innovations include the hook-shaped tine, which makes it possible to turn crops more quickly and cleanly and the finger-wheel hay rake, an invention which is still used all over the world today.
In the early 1990s, Lely caused quite a stir with the introduction of the first-ever milking robot, which has since been further refined. This strong history of innovation means the company is still actively drafting and applying for patents to this very day.
Second opinion gives added value
EP&C provides on-site advice to the Lely Group’s internal patent office, hands-on support during peak times and when people are off sick, as well as a much-appreciated professional sounding board. A second opinion from a fresh pair of eyes, and an independent party of experts no less, helps generate carefully considered and rational decision making when it comes to patent applications, oppositions, IP strategies and their execution.
At EP&C, we enjoy contributing to innovative solutions like these that benefit the agricultural industry across the globe.
