Precision dairy farming utilizes all aspects\nof the latest technology to monitor health, production, reproduction, rumen\nhealth and feed intake to maximize profitability. In the past, dairy producers\nmeasured all of these factors on a farm level or a herd level, but with\nprecision dairy farming, we are now able to measure these for each individual\ncow so that each cow receives the care they need. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Since the early days of dairy farming, dairy\nproducers have been responsible for cow record-keeping, but often they are not\nentering that data correctly. New technology is able to record the data,\nsometimes as often as every five seconds, and generate graphs and insights for\ndairy producers. This helps minimize data entry mistakes and user errors and\nreduces the amount of time dairy producers need to spend on record-keeping\ntasks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Precision dairy farming technology is\nespecially important on large dairy operations where there is less opportunity\nfor producers to have a direct connection with each cow. Precision dairy\nfarming can help keep an eye on each cow and let you know when they need\nadditional attention. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here are some of the key precision dairy farming\ntechnologies that are changing the way we gather data in the dairy industry: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of the biggest, most recognizable\nadvancements in the dairy industry is robotic milking. Robotic milking machines\nnot only handle the whole milking process automatically, but also gather data\nto help dairy producers make important decisions for the handling and dairy\ncattle nutrition of each cow in their system. They measure milk production on a\nper-cow basis and can measure the grain concentrate each cow is ingesting so\nyou can see the impact it has on their milk production. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Robotic milking machines also have automatic\nsorting functions so that if a cow is dry, they will be sorted out. If they are\nhaving cow hoof problems or any other health-related issues, you can program\nthe machine to sort them out for treatment or to receive special dairy cattle\nnutrition requirements. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
A rumination collar uses a microphone to\nmeasure a dairy cow\u2019s rumination to help ensure a smooth transition period.\nChanges in rumination can be an early sign of calving diseases, negative\nimpacts of recent ration changes, cow comfort, etc. Knowing normal rumination\npatterns for your specific dairy cow can help mitigate the effects of\nmanageable stressors, such as heat stress. The data can be used to help dairy\nproducers treat those cows and minimize any negative impacts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
A rumen bolus measures rumen temperature and\npH levels to help identify any systemic infections that need to be treated. If\na rumen bolus tells a dairy producer that a cow\u2019s pH is dropping, it is a sign\nthat a total mix ration (TMR) isn\u2019t mixed thoroughly, sorting is taking place,\nor a ration change is having negative impacts. This can help a producer make\nappropriate changes to their dairy cattle nutrition program. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Parlor monitoring systems measure daily milk\nflow per cow, and there are some systems that can measure components like daily\nmilk fat and daily milk protein and can even address milk quality by measuring\nsomatic cells. If a cow\u2019s milk production starts slowing down, the parlor\nmonitoring system can send you an alert so you can get eyes on that specific\ncow and provide treatment or make necessary changes to its dairy cattle nutrition.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When precision dairy farming technology is implemented and understood, each dairy operator can create their own data to better manage their herd. This technology, however, can generate so much data from multiple sources that the amount of data can be overwhelming. It can be challenging to identify the right management changes for your herd. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Contact your nutritionist or veterinarian for\nadvice and information about interpreting data and using it to make changes to\nyour dairy production system. <\/p>\n\n\n\n