Technology continues to be a driving factor in the dairy industry. Today, nearly every aspect of a cow’s life span can be monitored remotely, sending streams of data to the producer. But success doesn’t come with the adoption of the technology. The true payoff comes in the technology providing actionable information that can benefit the operation.
“Technology can be really good, but when we look at the big picture, the ultimate benefit is what we do with that technology,” explains Brandt Kreuscher, dairy business development manager with Merck Animal Health. Kreuscher’s focus is on livestock intelligence systems, and he has spent his extensive career integrating dairy software and technology on farms.
“There clearly is an opportunity to drive effective use of animal health products through data we collect from the cow on a daily basis,” Kreuscher says. “The idea is to make sure we are good stewards through-out the entire process, and make sure we target the animals that need the attention. That ultimately drives the efficiency of animal care.”
Today’s technology can be tailored to generate data-driven insights requested by the producer. That’s good because the number of management styles on dairies is likely the same as the number of dairies. “All dairies are different, they have different needs and have different focuses,” Kreuscher says.
Because management changes, the needs from the technology will change as well. “If we make an improvement, and see a benefit in herd health, we move on to the next management challenge to improve the herd,” Kreuscher says. “Whether it’s management of dry cows, transition cows, fresh cows, or looking at reproductive rates, the technology should work with you to provide information to help you spot weak areas.”
Objective analysis
Often, producers will invest in technology to help them with issues they have spotted in their herd. But over time, data may indicate they have other pressing issues with productivity or herd health that are eating into the bottom line.
“One of the most beneficial aspects of the technology available to dairies is that it pro-vides continual, objective analysis of what is happening with the cow,” Kreuscher says. “Monitors are never diverted or distracted, and they provide exact data.”
Cows are often very good at masking issues that not everyone can spot. “Walking through a pen you only catch what you see,” Kreuscher says, “and data points you to the cows that need attention, so you don’t have to disturb every cow in the herd.”
Adapting technology at the dairy won’t necessarily result in labor savings, Kreuscher says. Instead, it may focus tasks to the areas that need it most.
“The reality is, what we do is we take people that are good at diagnosing cows and let them focus on the animals that need attention,” he says. “That allows you to focus your resources and put them to the best use. This is being done objectively because you have the data to back up your decisions.”
Kreuscher says labor is a finite resource.
“You only have so many hours in a day, so it’s imperative to spend the most time on the animals that need the attention,” he says.