Feed pushing sounds like a simple job. On a working dairy farm, it rarely is.

Feed needs to stay within reach throughout the day, even when the farmer is busy with milking, animal care, and other daily work. Add multiple barns, slopes, uneven ground, and building thresholds, and automating that routine becomes more challenging.

Two dairy farms in France show what this looks like in practice.Supported locally by Bovimatix, the livestock equipment brand within Intrax, both farms now use the Sveaverken Nimbo X Plus robotic feed pusher to keep feed closer to the cows while reducing repetitive manual work.

More importantly, neither farm offers a perfectly simple route.That is exactly what makes their experience valuable.

Built for a Complex Barn Layout

The first story takes us to Melrand in Morbihan, where around 100 dairy cows are housed alongside heifers and fattening cattle in separate buildings.

Nimbo X Plus starts its work with the dairy cows, then leaves the first barn and travels to a second building to continue pushing feed for the other cattle.

For the farmer, this second part of the route was the real test.

Nimbo X Plus is designed for this kind of layout. Its 3D LiDAR navigation allows the robot to understand and follow the mapped farm environment, while the lifting skirt helps it move across uneven ground, slopes, and barn thresholds. Once a task is complete, it can return to the charging station automatically and prepare for the next run.

At Melrand, this means one robot can leave the dairy barn, travel to the second building, and continue pushing feed for other cattle without requiring separate systems for each feeding area. 

Quick to Set Up, Without Redesigning the Barn

A more complicated route does not have to mean a complicated installation.

Before Nimbo X Plus started working at Melrand, the Bovimatix team walked through the farm with a handheld LiDAR scanner to capture the buildings and create the map. With support from the Sveaverken technical team, the complete installation was finished in around half a day.

There was also no need to install a magnetic track along every feed alley. Only a short section of magnetic nails, around two meters long, was placed near the charging station to help with final docking alignment. For the rest of the route, the robot relies on its map and 3D LiDAR navigation. 

As Guillaume explains, “These are the only magnetic nails we have installed for the entire robot setup, whether it works in one feed alley or across the whole farm.”

For an existing dairy farm, that means less installation work and fewer changes to the buildings. Instead of redesigning the barn around the automation, the route can be planned around the farm itself. 

Less Manual Feed Pushing, More Time Back

The second story comes from EARL de la Rennais at Guigen in Ille-et-Vilaine.

The farm has around 65 dairy cows, and feed had to be pushed manually three, four, or sometimes five times a day.

Nimbo X Plus now handles that work, keeping feed available throughout the day without requiring the farmer to return to the feed alley again and again.

According to Kevin Richard, co-founder of Intrax, the farm has seen higher forage intake and more milk production, along with a significant reduction in feed refusals and farmer workload.

For the farmer, the change goes beyond saving a few trips down the feed alley. Automatic feed pushing makes the overall routine easier to manage, with fewer interruptions and more time for other work around the farm. 

As Kevin puts it: “The job is done, the cows have feed available throughout the day.”

Flexible for the Farm, Supported by the Team

Automation is most useful when it can fit the way a farm already works.

From a phone, the farmer can change Nimbo X Plus tasks and schedules or adjust how closely it pushes feed toward the barrier. 

Bovimatix also works with farmers during setup to fine-tune the routes. The robot can be brought closer to the feed barrier, guided away from unsuitable areas, and adjusted as the farm's routine changes over time.

Kevin notes that the robot generates very few alerts or follow-up needs in daily operation. When adjustments are required, many can be handled remotely without another trip to the farm.

Behind Bovimatix, the Sveaverken technical team provides responsive support, helping the local team solve issues quickly and stay close to their customers.

For the farmer, that means less day-to-day attention once the robot is running. For the dealer, it means having both the tools and the manufacturer support needed to serve customers locally.

From Precision Agriculture to Livestock Automation in France

These two farms are also the next chapter in a partnership that was already established before Nimbo X Plus arrived in their barns.

Intrax has worked with Sveaverken on precision agriculture solutions in France, combining Sveaverken technology with local sales, installation, and customer support. Through Bovimatix, that cooperation is now extending into livestock automation.

Bovimatix and Intrax stay close to the farmer, understand the farm on the ground, and provide local installation and service. Sveaverken works behind the local team with product knowledge, setup assistance, and responsive technical support.

That cooperation matters when every farm comes with its own buildings, routes, and working habits. The two sides can work together to adapt the solution to the customer rather than expecting every customer to operate in the same way.

Looking to automate feed pushing on your farm, or bring proven livestock automation to more dairy farms in your market?

Explore Nimbo X Plus or contact our team to discuss your farm needs, local market, or partnership opportunities.