Smart Farming - Bovine Vets

How BoviSync and Integrated Tech are Creating a 'Digital Nervous System' for Modern Dairies

Thu, 14 May 2026 13:04:38 GMT

Across the American landscape, a silent revolution is rewiring the 250-year legacy of the dairy farm, transforming traditional barns and pastures into a high-precision digital nervous system. For operations like Abel Dairy in Wisconsin and Lincoln Dairy in New York, the manual grit of the past has met the cloud-based logic of the future, ensuring data flows as freely as milk and every decision is backed by real-time intelligence.

As the United States approaches its 250^th anniversary, the story of dairy is shifting from one of just getting by to one of mastering the margin. At the heart of this evolution is the death of the data silo and the birth of integrated, cloud-based management.

Steve, Allen and Nate Abel

(BoviSync)

The Wisconsin Blueprint: Wiring for Growth

For Steve Abel, a sixth-generation farmer at Abel Dairy, maintaining a legacy isn’t about looking backward — it’s about wiring the farm for a future his son Nate will one day lead. Three years ago, the Abels made a high-stakes move, expanding from a 2,000-cow operation to a 4,500-cow powerhouse. This wasn’t just about adding stalls or pouring concrete; it was a structural pivot toward precision.

At the center of the Abel expansion is an 80-cow GEA rotary parlor, but the true engine of the farm is BoviSync. By adopting this cloud-based central hub, the Abels eliminated the lag that has plagued dairy management for decades.

(BoviSync)

“We moved away from traditional data silos,” Abel explains. “For years, dairies struggled with double entry — the tedious process of recording data in one system only to manually type it into another. At Abel Dairy, that era is over.

“BoviSync networks with our sort gates, our feed software and even our hoof-trimming chute,” he says.

This connectivity transforms manual chores into automated workflows. The Abels no longer rely on traditional veterinarian pregnancy checks that require manual recording. Instead, they use blood samples and scanners. The results are uploaded to the cloud and downloaded directly into BoviSync. Because the software is linked to the farm’s sort gates, the cows are automatically identified and directed to the appropriate pens without a human ever having to check a clipboard.

Abel Dairy

(BoviSync)

The New York Perspective: Multi-Site Mastery

Thirteen hundred miles to the east, Bryant Stuttle, the herd manager for Lincoln Dairy in Auburn, N.Y., is navigating a similar digital frontier. Stuttle, a fourth-generation dairy professional, manages a complex multi-site operation for owners Dan and Nate Osborne. The system includes the home farm, Lincoln Dairy, and two satellite facilities, Ridgecrest and Gemini.

For Lincoln Dairy, the move to BoviSync two years ago was driven by a singular, ambitious goal: going 100% paperless.

“We operate as one herd across multiple farms,” Stuttle says. “The challenge with traditional software was how it handled multi-site data. We needed a system where events were tied to the facility, not just the cow. If a cow gets bred at one site and moved to another, we need to know exactly where that event happened to track technician performance and facility success. BoviSync made that seamless.”

Before the switch, the morning routine was often a source of frustration.

“I can’t tell you how many times we’d walk in on a busy herd-check day and the server hadn’t refreshed or a command line error meant the lists weren’t right,” Stuttle recalls. “You’d lose two hours of your day circling back to restart. Now, the guys grab their phones and go. There’s a level of confidence that the day is set up for success before we even start.”

The Human Element Removed from the Environment

(BoviSync)

The digital evolution isn’t limited to cow records; it has extended into the very air the animals breathe. In Wisconsin, the Abels installed the Agrimesh system to control ventilation and sprinklers in their tunnel-ventilated free stall barns.

“We wanted something that took the people out of the equation,” Abel says. “We don’t want an employee having to remember to open a curtain or speed up a fan because it warmed up at 10 a.m.”

The system calculates temperature, humidity and negative pressure in real time, adjusting tunnel fans and curtains automatically. It is a level of environmental consistency that ensures the cows remain cool in the summer and the barns don’t freeze in the winter, all without human intervention.

Similarly, at Lincoln Dairy, technology like SenseHub (formaly known as SCR collars) provides a constant heartbeat for the herd. These collars monitor rumination and activity across all three sites, feeding data back into the central hub. When combined with SenseHub sort gates, the system allows Stuttle’s team to identify and treat sick cows before they even show physical symptoms.

“Our reproduction is phenomenal — the highest it’s ever been,” Stuttle says. “Our cull and death rates are the lowest they’ve ever been. When you perform at that level, it all spells profit for the bottom line.”

The Power of Compliance and ROI

For both operations, the return on investment for these technologies isn’t just found in labor savings — it’s found in compliance.

“If you’re going to sell me a technology, it needs to make my employees more consistent,” Abel asserts. This focus on compliance ensures every vaccine is given correctly and every hoof is trimmed on schedule. At Abel Dairy, even the hoof-trimming chute is wired. A tablet mounted to the chute allows for instant data entry, eliminating the data lag of paper records.

At Lincoln Dairy, the technology allowed the farm to reposition two full-time labor units to other areas of the farm that needed more attention.

“It’s not just about doing the job with fewer people; it’s about doing the job better,” Stuttle explains. “The guys love it. I joke with them about going back to clipboards, and they just look at me and say, ‘Please, no.’”

The Heifer Pipeline

The digital nervous system also extends far beyond the home acres. Both Abel Dairy and Lincoln Dairy use Kansas Dairy Development (KDD) to raise their heifers. This creates a unique data challenge: How do you track an animal that is a thousand miles away?

“With KDD still being on DairyComp and us being on BoviSync, it was a challenge,” Stuttle admits. “But the BoviSync team figured out a way to translate that data daily. Now, I have my KDD file right in my system. It’s like they’re speaking two different languages, but the software acts as the translator. I have the same access to the data as the people on the ground in Kansas.”

This level of transparency allows both farms to right-size their herds. By using sexed semen, they can precisely determine how many replacements they need and breed the rest of the herd to beef. This beef-on-dairy pivot has become a vital revenue stream, providing a hedge against milk price volatility.

Advice for the Modern Producer: Avoid the Data Drown

With so much information available, the risk of data exhaustion is real. Stuttle’s advice to other producers is to focus on what actually moves the needle.

“Data management is the biggest opportunity in the industry right now,” he says. “But you can get drowned in it. Every salesperson will tell you their metric is the one that matters. You have to figure out what matters to you and look at it consistently, month in and month out.”

At Lincoln Dairy, that means focusing on hundredweight sold, transition cow success and pregnancy rates. By centralizing this data, the management team can stop worrying about whether the technology is working and start focusing on managing the people and the cows.

(BoviSync)

Legacy Powered by Data

As these two dairies demonstrate, the center of gravity for U.S. dairy is shifting. It is moving away from the localized, fragmented models of the past toward a high-precision, integrated future.

The 250^th anniversary of American agriculture is a celebration of resilience, but for the Abels and the Osbornes, it is also a launchpad. By integrating every gadget, sensor and software into a cohesive digital nervous system, they are ensuring their farm legacies will thrive for decades to come.

In Eden, Wis., and Auburn, N.Y., the lights in the barn are still on. But today, they are powered by data, driven by compliance and managed with a level of brilliance our ancestors could only have dreamed of. The U.S. dairy farmer has evolved from a milk man into a protein integrator, and the digital revolution is just getting started.

The Eye in the Sky: Why Computer Vision is the Next Great Leap for Dairy Management

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 13:04:46 GMT

For decades, the gold standard of dairy management was the keen eye of a seasoned herdsman. It was the ability to walk a pen and instinctively know which cow was beginning to favor a foot or which one had dropped a few pounds of body condition. But as herds have grown considerably over the last decade, that human eye has been stretched to its limit.

Enter the era of computer vision (CV).

As Jeffrey Bewley, executive director of genetic programs and innovation at Holstein USA, recently shared at the High Plains Dairy Conference in Amarillo, Texas, the dairy industry is on the cusp of a visual revolution. It is a shift from reactive management to a world where the eye in the sky never sleeps, never tires and — thanks to a decade of breakthroughs in artificial intelligence — is becoming more accurate than the humans it assists.

The ChatGPT of the Barn

To understand why camera technology is exploding now, we have to look outside the barn. Most of us have experimented with ChatGPT, the AI that can write a poem or summarize a legal brief in seconds. As Bewley points out, the engine powering ChatGPT is the same engine now powering the best computer vision systems on dairies.

“Every dollar invested in ChatGPT-style AI lifts all AI — including farm vision,” Bewley says.

The massive global investment in AI (projected at $200 billion in 2025) has created a tidal wave effect. It has made high-powered hardware cheaper, algorithms smarter and a talent pipeline of researchers available to solve agricultural problems.

In 2012, a breakthrough called AlexNet proved deep neural networks could “see” with human-level accuracy. By 2015, a system called YOLO (You Only Look Once) allowed cameras to detect and classify multiple objects in real-time, even in the chaotic, low-light conditions of a dairy barn. Today, that technology isn’t just a university prototype; it’s a commercial reality.

From Geometry to Gold: Body Condition Scoring

One of the most immediate wins for computer vision is body condition scoring (BCS). Traditionally, BCS is subjective and infrequent. One person’s 3.0 is another person’s 2.75.

A variety of camera systems use 3D depth sensors to measure the “geometry” of a cow. By analyzing the angles of the posterior hooks and the spring of the ribs, these systems estimate BCS automatically every time a cow walks under the lens.

The ROI is staggering. Bewley highlights research showing 3D cameras can return 200% to 500% annually, costing roughly $1 per cow per month. This is because the camera detects a downward trend in condition two to three weeks earlier than the human eye. In the high-stakes world of transition cow management, those three weeks are the difference between a simple ration adjustment and a clinical case of ketosis.

The Gait Keeper: Early Lameness Detection

If BCS is about geometry, lameness detection is about symmetry. Tech systems use pose estimation to track landmarks on a cow’s body as she walks. The AI analyzes gait symmetry frame-by-frame, assigning a locomotion score based on how the animal moves.

In a traditional setup, a cow is often only treated once she is visibly “three-legged lame.” By then, the loss in milk production and the cost of treatment have already taken a bite out of the bottom line. Computer vision flags the asymmetric walker long before she becomes the lame walker, allowing for early intervention and significantly higher recovery rates.

Rib-Arrow Dairy in Tulare, Calif., has implemented the Nedap SmartSight vision technology.

“A lame cow used to be something you could see — she was limping,” Ribeiro says. “But the camera showed us we have problems with feet long before there is a limp. It’s like wearing the same running shoes for a year on concrete. That subclinical pressure on the joints, ankles and knees starts a decline we can’t visually pick up until it’s too late.”

The impact is most visible in first-lactation animals. These bulletproof heifers often hide discomfort, but the vision tech caught the subtle crooked gait that leads to chronic issues. At the start of the program, lameness prevalence in first-lactation cows was 6%. Today, overall and severe lameness rates have been slashed to just 2% — one-third of what they were.

Beyond the Cow: Management Visibility

The power of the camera doesn’t stop at the animal’s hide. Computer vision is now being used to monitor the environment that surrounds the cow:

Feed Availability: Cameras can determine exactly when feed events happen and, more importantly, when the bunk is empty, sending alerts to the feeder in real-time.
Bird Detection: Innovative systems use AI cameras paired with guided laser beams to detect and deter birds, protecting feed quality without the use of chemicals or loud noises.
Employee Safety & SOPs: In the parlor, cameras can monitor for missed post-dip events or track phone time, ensuring the farm’s standard operating procedures are being followed when the owner isn’t looking.

The Pitfalls: It’s Not All Plug-and-Play

Despite the promise, Bewley is quick to offer a reality check.

“Camera systems are not plug-and-play,” he warns.

The marketing brochure rarely mentions the physical problems that plague dairy tech: manure splatter, dust, ammonia corrosion and the rural broadband problem.

A single 4K camera stream requires 10 to 20 Mbps of bandwidth. Many rural farms struggle to get 25 Mbps for the entire office. To solve this, the industry is moving toward edge computing — where the thinking happens on the camera itself, only sending a small alert to the cloud — and the adoption of Starlink to bridge the connectivity gap.

There is also the garbage in, garbage out factor. An AI trained on clean, perfectly lit university cows will often fail when faced with a sand-bedded freestall barn full of shadows and dirty coats. Success requires models trained on real-farm data.

The Human Factor: Your Team is the Technology

Perhaps the most critical takeaway from Bewley’s insights is that the best camera system in the world is worthless if nobody acts on the data.

“The #1 predictor of precision technology success on farms isn’t the technology. It’s the people using it,” he says, noting every successful system needs a champion (someone who owns the data), a skeptic (to ensure the alerts are accurate) and a responder (someone with a clear SOP to fix the problem the camera flagged).

The Big Question: Should You Invest?

So, is it time to hang cameras in your barn? Bewley breaks it down into three categories:

Invest Now: If you have a specific, quantifiable problem (like high lameness rates) and reliable internet.
Invest Soon: If you are planning a renovation. It is 50% cheaper to build camera infrastructure into a new project than to retrofit an old one.
Wait & Watch: If your internet is unreliable or your team isn’t yet comfortable using data to drive daily decisions. Focus on wearables first.

The Bottom Line

Computer vision is no longer a someday technology. It is happening now. As labor becomes scarcer and the margin for error in dairy production becomes thinner, the ability to see every cow, every minute of every day, will become the baseline for the modern dairy.

“Technology should serve the animal and never lose sight of the cow,” Bewley exclaims.

The transition to computer vision doesn’t mark the end of the traditional herdsman; rather, it represents the evolution of the craft. By augmenting human intuition with digital precision, producers can finally reclaim the individual attention that large-scale operations often struggle to maintain. As the industry moves forward, the competitive edge will belong to those who can bridge the gap between the barn and the byte. Ultimately, while the engine of the dairy may be changing, the mission remains the same: providing the best possible care for the cow, one frame at a time.

The Invisible Perimeter: High-Tech Biosecurity in the Age of Bird Flu

Tue, 24 Mar 2026 13:47:21 GMT

In the heart of Tulare, Calif., Tyler Ribeiro is conducting an experiment in “mediocrity-free” farming. As a fourth-generation dairyman at Rib-Arrow Dairy, he has seen the industry evolve through a century of challenges. But today, the stakes have shifted. While the Central Valley sun and volatile markets remain constant pressures, an invisible threat moved to the forefront of the dairy conversation last year: Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), or bird flu.

For a dairy milking 1,500 cows, the emergence of H5N1 in dairy herds represents a fundamental shift in how animal well-being is defined. It is no longer just about comfort and production; it is about the rigorous defense of the milk supply itself. At Rib-Arrow, the philosophy of being tech-forward has become the farm’s strongest shield against this mounting biosecurity threat.

Early Detection: The Digital First Line of Defense

The battle against a viral threat like bird flu begins with early detection. Ribeiro’s implementation of Nedap SmartSight vision technology and activity monitoring collars provides a level of granular oversight that was impossible for previous generations. While these systems were primarily installed to monitor locomotion — reducing the lameness incident rate in first lactation cows from 6% to 2% — their value in a biosecurity crisis is immense.

“A cow starts hurting long before we can see it with our eyes,” Ribeiro notes.

Tyler Ribeiro

(Rib-Arrow Dairy)

This same principle applies to viral illness. Before a cow shows clinical signs of HPAI, such as a drop in milk production or lethargy, her data — captured 24/7 in the NedapNow cloud platform — begins to tell a story. By catching subtle changes in activity or movement early, high-tech dairies can isolate animals and implement quarantine protocols before a virus has the chance to move through the entire herd. In the era of bird flu, data is the difference between a minor incident and a total operation shutdown.

Automated Perimeter

Biosecurity is often compromised by the movement of people and equipment. Rib-Arrow’s lean toward automation directly mitigates this risk. The HoofStrong automated foot baths, which have been in place since 2015, are a prime example. Because the system is fully self-contained and self-cleaning, it reduces the need for constant employee intervention and chemical handling.

(Rib-Arrow Dairy )

Similarly, Ribeiro’s three-pronged approach to fly control — using automated flash-sprays, baits and parasitic wasps — limits the presence of pests that can carry pathogens across the dairy. By automating these dirty work tasks, the dairy ensures protocols are executed with 100% consistency, creating a closed-loop environment where the risk of cross-contamination is significantly lowered.

Protect the Pipeline: A Strategic View

The challenges faced by dairies like Rib-Arrow are the focal point of the upcoming 2026 High Plains Dairy Conference in Amarillo. A critical addition to the lineup is the panel “Protecting the Milk Supply,” featuring experts like Dee Ellis from Texas A&M and New Mexico state veterinarian Samantha Holeck. Their work bridges the gap between the regulatory requirements of state-level safety and the daily reality of the parlor.

As Ribeiro notes: “I hate it when people show up and say, ‘You’re doing a great job.’ Show me where I’m missing.”

This mindset is essential for modern biosecurity. Protecting the pipeline requires producers to work alongside data scientists like Jason Lombard of Colorado State University’s AgNext to understand the science of staying open, which involves analyzing every touch point on the farm — from how calves are transported to how manure is managed — to ensure business continuity in the face of a biosecurity event.

(Rib-Arrow Dairy)

Reputation and Resilience

The final layer of defense against bird flu is communication. For a dairy like Rib-Arrow, transparency and clear communication are vital.

Ribeiro’s “data nerd” approach allows him to provide a real-time truth about his herd’s health. Whether it is downloading thousands of cells of data to analyze with AI or checking his phone app for a cow’s locomotion score, he is equipped to prove the resilience of his operation.

As the road through 2026 and beyond is paved, the goal remains the same as it was 100 years ago: healthy cows and a sustainable business. The difference now is the eye in the sky and the mountain of data are the tools ensuring the next generation of the Ribeiro family is still standing — and profitable — no matter what biological threats the world throws at them.

How is Artificial Intelligence Enhancing Cattle Health Monitoring?

Fri, 13 Mar 2026 13:56:59 GMT

Artificial intelligence (AI) has made its way into agriculture in various ways, providing new technologies to enhance production agriculture. At the University of Arkansas, researchers developed a tool, the CattleFever system , that uses AI and thermal and RGB color cameras to detect cattle body temperature.

Traditionally, cattle temperatures are taken rectally. With the CattleFever system, this can reduce labor required to track herd health. Temperature is a key symptom for many diseases, so this system allows for faster detection and treatment.

Research Background

The University of Arkansas is equipped with an Artificial Intelligence and Computer Vision Lab, directed by Ngan Le, associate professor in the department of electrical engineering and computer science. She explains one of her key research directions is precision agriculture with artificial intelligence and computer vision.

Previous projects have focused on poultry, but broader agriculture-related projects, including cattle welfare, are on the horizon.

Le says, “This motivation led me to initiate collaborations with colleagues in the department of animal science, including Dr. Kegley, Dr. Powell and Dr. Zhao to combine their expertise in cattle with our strengths in AI and computer vision.”

This project initiative was closely supported and funded by the University of Arkansas division of agriculture.

Platform Construction

To build CattleFever, researchers needed data. However, the existing data for cattle only provided overhead rather than thermal images. So, the group built their own dataset using thermal images of calves. Collaborating with the Savoy Research Complex at the university, calves were recorded with synchronized RGB cameras, technology that captures images with red, green and blue light, and thermal cameras.

Rectal temperatures were also recorded for a base in the dataset. Technical team members, Trong Thang Pham and Ethan Coffman, along with several undergraduate students developed a semi-automated annotation and data processing system. More than 600 recorded frames were used to train the system in what to look for. This data all served as a benchmark for the CattleFever system.

All images gathered were linked to thermal and RGB images. Landmarks in 13 different places, such as eyes, ears, muzzle and mouth, on the animal were established.

“These landmarks allow the system to localize individual facial regions, and the thermal camera then measures the temperatures in those regions,” Le says.

The eyes and nostrils read closest to the rectal temperatures, so these landmarks were established as focus areas for thermal image readings. A machine-learning approach was used to predict data results.

These technology trainings resulted in CattleFever being able to automatically detect animal temperature within 1 degree of the rectal reading. Le explains that as more data is collected in real-life environments, the more accurate the system will become.

Project Outlook

In these studies, all cattle were directly facing the thermal cameras.

“‘We probably need to take more photos of them in the real-world settings, such as running around, to capture their motion in the field,” Pham explains.

Teaching the cameras how to recognize and interpret a cow’s face in real-world environments is the next step. Le explains further features like environmental and audio sensors will be added to increase animal welfare monitoring accuracy and lead to more developments of indicators like common symptoms or early signs of illness. At this point, additional funding is being sought to continue more research on this project.

Eventually, the goal is for producers to have access to technology like this. This could look like a monitoring system of cameras set up that are synched to a mobile interface or app.

Le says, “While the current work represents an important first step, we are excited about continuing to develop technologies and expanding its capabilities to support the real-world agricultural applications.”

The Top Three Biggest Mistakes When Using Crowd Gates

Tue, 11 Mar 2025 17:47:51 GMT

Crowd gates are often one of the most used tools on a dairy. Not only do they save significant time for employees, but they also help reduce the stress associated with moving cows.

However, just like any tool, crowd gates can be used incorrectly and can sometimes negatively impact cow comfort and welfare. Carolina Pinzon, a Dairy Outreach Specialist with the University of Wisconsin-Madison, highlights the three most common mistakes she sees in crowd gate usage and provides practical strategies to avoid them.

Overcrowding the Holding Area

Occasionally, overcrowding the holding area happens, but Pinzon warns that prolonged overcrowding can negatively impact cow health, production, and welfare. This is especially concerning during summer when cows generate extra body heat and require sufficient airflow.

“Signs of an overcrowded holding pen include cows with their heads up, unable to plant their four feet on the ground, and looking restless and uncomfortable,” Pinzon says. “Short-term overcrowding can also result from misuse of the crowd gate, by employees pushing it too far forward and smashing the cows.”

To prevent overcrowding, Pinzon recommends balancing parlor and pen sizes, so cows spend no more than one hour away from their pens during each milking. Holding areas should allow at least 20 square feet per cow.

“If needed, a large pen can be divided into smaller groups,” Pinzon suggests. “While this means more trips to the parlor for workers, it significantly reduces the time cows spend in the holding pen. Additionally, short-term overcrowding can be alleviated by moving the crowd gate backward to provide more space for the cows.”

Being Careless

While dairy cows are typically gentle giants, they can be stubborn and slow to move. This, however, doesn’t justify using force. Moving crowd gates too quickly or applying electricity can cause unnecessary stress and fear for the animals.
Instead, Pinzon emphasizes the importance of calm and gentle handling. She advises guiding cows to the parlor without pressure or haste.

“Once the cows on one side of the parlor have exited, the crowd gate can be moved forward,” Pinzon says. “This regular adjustment is crucial to accommodate the changing number of animals and available space in the holding area. Automating crowd gates to move forward every time exit gates are open/lift can help reduce misuse.”

Pinzon recommends keeping crowd gates at least three feet from the cows to avoid pressing against their backs. She suggests using sound cues, like bells or ringing, to train cows to move forward, rather than relying solely on gate movement. If the gate gets too close, pull it back to give the cows more space before resuming forward movement. These practices promote a stress-free and productive environment for both cows and workers.

Workers Entering the Holding Area

Crowd gates are valuable tools for safely and efficiently moving cows toward the parlor entrance. However, when employees enter the holding pen to push cows, it can create unnecessary stress for the animals and put workers at risk of injury.

Pinzon highlights the importance of regularly training employees on proper cow handling and the correct use of crowd gates. She stresses avoiding the practice of entering the holding area to chase cows and instead maintaining a calm and consistent environment for the animals.

“Except for when loading the last cows of a pen and fresh cows, the door from the parlor pit to the holding area should remain closed during most of the milking process,” she adds. “This physical reminder is to discourage workers from entering the holding area. In addition, regular maintenance of crowd gates, prompt reporting of issues, and swift resolution of problems by management are crucial for proper gate function.”

Spotting these three common mistakes in crowd gate use and taking proactive steps to address them can significantly improve cow welfare, employee safety, and your herd’s operational efficiency. Regular maintenance, clear protocols, and proper training go a long way in preventing overcrowding and keeping things calm and stress-free for both cows and workers.

Data, Dirt and the 100-Year Legacy: Inside Rib-Arrow Dairy’s Tech Revolution

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 14:08:23 GMT

In the heart of Tulare, Calif., where the Central Valley sun can push the mercury past 110°F and the mud of a rainy season can challenge even the sturdiest boots, Tyler Ribeiro is conducting an experiment in mediocrity-free farming.

Ribeiro is the fourth generation of his family to steward a dairy legacy that spans over a century. Since 1994, the family has operated at the current Rib-Arrow Dairy site, but the operation today looks vastly different than the one his grandfather managed. With 1,500 milking cows, 1,000 Holstein-Angus crosses for beef and 800 acres of farmland, Rib-Arrow is a high-octane intersection of traditional animal husbandry and cutting-edge silicon.

Tyler Ribeiro

(Rib-Arrow Dairy)

“I am not one that likes to settle for mediocre,” Ribeiro says, standing in the middle of a barn designed with the precision of a wind tunnel. “We are pushing the systems we have, and we’re learning as we go. I haven’t got paid enough to tell you all the good things and none of the bad — we’re going through it as it is.”

(Rib-Arrow Dairy)

The Cow-Centric Blueprint

Walking through Rib-Arrow, it becomes clear every piece of steel and every line of code is centered on the cow’s perspective. This philosophy starts with the physical geometry of the barn. Ribeiro’s father and grandfather designed the entrance to the milking parlor to be narrow, widening as it opens up.

“It’s like being in a tunnel behind a big rig,” Ribeiro explains. “If you can’t see what’s in front of the truck, you’re hesitant. The way this is set up, as they’re walking in, they can see around the cow in front of them. It helps their load time speed up dramatically.”

Comfort is equally engineered. Along the top of the barn, an array of fans and cooling soakers manage the California heat. But these aren’t just on-off switches. The system uses eye-to-eye sensors. If a cow isn’t in a specific area, the cooling grid shuts off to conserve resources. In a closed-loop nod to sustainability, the water used to soak the cows and clean the lanes is captured from the cisterns used to cool the milk.

(Rib-Arrow Dairy)

Seeing the Unseen: The Locomotion Revolution

Perhaps the most significant bite Rib-Arrow has taken in recent years is the implementation of Nedap SmartSight vision technology. For a hands-on dairyman like Ribeiro, admitting that a camera can see better than a human eye was a hurdle, but the data has been undeniable.

“A lame cow used to be something you could see — she was limping,” Ribeiro says. “But the camera showed us we have problems with feet long before there is a limp. It’s like wearing the same running shoes for a year on concrete. That subclinical pressure on the joints, ankles and knees starts a decline we can’t visually pick up until it’s too late.”

The impact is most visible in first-lactation animals. These bulletproof heifers often hide discomfort, but the vision tech caught the subtle crooked gait that leads to chronic issues. At the start of the program, lameness prevalence in first-lactation cows was 6%. Today, overall and severe lameness rates have been slashed to just 2% — one-third of what they were.

Precision Management in the Cloud

The vision tech doesn’t work in a vacuum. It is paired with Nedap activity monitoring collars and the Cow Locating system. This tech stack allows Ribeiro’s team to not only receive an alert that a cow needs attention but to pinpoint her exact location in the barn. This data flows into NedapNow, a cloud-based platform that provides real-time insights.

Ribeiro has even refined the software’s parameters to match the biological reality of hoof healing.

“We found that a 31-day hold time wasn’t enough for a hoof to grow out and heal. We’ve moved to a 41-day sweet spot. If she’s still flagging after that, we know we need to look deeper.”

This level of precision changes the economic math of the dairy. Ribeiro points to a high-producing cow the system flags frequently.

“The guys ask why we keep bringing her in. I tell them, for a cow like that, I’ll pay $7 a month in maintenance to keep her in the herd and keep her comfortable,” he says. “We’re aiming for old cows — high-producing, healthy veterans.”

(Rib-Arrow Dairy )

Automating the Dirty Work

While the cameras watch the cows, other automated systems handle the grueling maintenance tasks that traditionally lead to labor fatigue. Rib-Arrow has used HoofStrong automated foot baths since 2015. Running five days a week and rotating between Formalin and a proprietary copper/zinc formula (LQA), the system is entirely self-contained and self-cleaning.

“It doses via schedule to keep the potency where it’s supposed to be, and then pressure pumps the manure and product out at the end of milking,” Ribeiro notes. “It keeps my people away from the chemicals and ensures the protocol is executed perfectly every single time.”

Even pest control has gone high-tech. Ribeiro uses a three-pronged approach to flies: baits, parasitic wasps and an automated flash-spray system. The sprayer, triggered by sensors as cows pass through, provides full-body coverage without wasting product or requiring an employee to stand in a cloud of spray.

The Human Element and the Future

Despite the heavy lean into automation, the human element at Rib-Arrow remains remarkably stable. Most of Ribeiro’s outside crew has been with the dairy for over a decade. The technology hasn’t replaced them; it has empowered them.

“The system shines a light on things you’d look at and say, ‘She’s healthy,’” Ribeiro says. “Now, we have to educate ourselves on what the data is actually saying. My guys have tablets in their Kubotas. My breeder has a tablet. We’re all looking at the same real-time truth.”

Ribeiro, a self-described “computer geek and data nerd,” isn’t finished. He’s already planning to install Nedap’s pass-through ID system in the parlor to replace older RFID tech that struggled with “noise.” This will pave the way for Nedap’s SmartFlow milk meters, closing the loop on individual cow performance data.

As Rib-Arrow Dairy moves toward an average lactation of 2.7 and beyond, the goal remains the same as it was 100 years ago: healthy cows and a sustainable business. The difference now is that Tyler Ribeiro has a digital eye in the sky and a mountain of data to ensure the next 100 years are even better than the last.

“I hate it when people show up and say, ‘You’re doing a great job,’” Ribeiro concludes. “Show me where I’m missing. Show me the holes. That’s what this technology does — it shows me where I need to work.”

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What About the Other AI?

Fri, 06 Feb 2026 16:17:57 GMT

Artificial intelligence (AI) isn’t new to agriculture, but it has reached a point where it is no longer limited to research projects or niche tools. What’s driving its growing visibility in cattle health and production is pressure.

Cattle values are high, input costs are higher and small inefficiencies now carry outsized consequences. At the same time, cattle operations are managing more data than ever, often spread across disconnected systems that are difficult to interpret quickly.

AI is emerging as a way to manage that complexity. Not by automating care or decision-making outright, but by processing information continuously and surfacing patterns that would be impractical to track manually. Harold Birch of UnCommon Farms and Robert Terry of Folio3 spoke at CattleCon on how AI could be used to improve how we work on the farm and with animal health.

From Raw Data to Continuous Awareness

A central theme of the discussion was early awareness. AI systems are designed to absorb large volumes of information, learn what “normal” looks like over time and flag changes as they emerge.

“It gives us more insight quicker than we can see with our own eye,” Birch explains. “The AI agent learns from you and gathers information out of your systems and gives it back to you in real time.”

That capability applies broadly — across health signals, operational workflows and financial data.

Rather than relying on episodic review or fixed schedules, AI enables a more continuous view of what is changing within an operation or across herds. This represents a shift from reacting to visible problems toward noticing drift sooner with AI analysis.

Pattern Recognition at a Different Scale

Pattern recognition is one of AI’s core strengths. These systems improve through use, refining their outputs as more data flow through them. They are not static tools; they learn from repeated exposure to real-world conditions.

“AI is not one-and-done,” Terry says. “You put it in place, and it just keeps getting better. It learns from itself — when we put things in place that were 85% accurate and four to six weeks later it’s 99%-plus.”

This adaptation makes it easier to identify subtle trends that might otherwise blend into day-to-day variability. Instead of relying on predefined thresholds alone, AI can recognize deviations because it has learned what typical performance looks like across time, conditions and systems.

Why AI Keeps Coming Back to Economics

Most current AI applications on farms are tied to cost and operational efficiency rather than direct revenue gains. AI speeds up routine work, reduces friction in accessing information and helps identify inefficiencies that quietly accumulate over a season.

“The impacts that we can have in agriculture usually revolve around cost and daily operations,” Birch says. “Most of it has been around the cost components. Things like detecting weeds, detecting sick animals and finding where animals are located.”

For animal health, this economic context shapes how AI fits into advisory roles. Insights that support earlier intervention, better timing or avoided losses tend to resonate more strongly than tools positioned purely around novelty.

Ideas for Where to Start With AI

Birch and Terry emphasize that AI does not need to be adopted perfectly — or all at once — to be useful. Its value often becomes clear through trial, not theory. Practical starting points include:

Use AI to scan for change — Apply AI to monitor for deviations in health, performance or operations so attention is drawn to what looks different, not just what is scheduled to be checked.
Summarize before you analyze — Use AI tools to pull together and summarize information from multiple sources before reviews or discussions, reducing time spent searching for context.
Focus on early signals, not final answers — Treat AI outputs as indicators of where to look first rather than conclusions. Earlier awareness alone can be valuable.
Reduce repetitive manual work — Experiment with AI for organizing, importing or synthesizing routine information, such as records, reports or metrics, freeing time for higher-level evaluation.
Apply it where consistency is hardest — AI is especially useful where scale, distance or workload makes consistent monitoring difficult. It can help standardize awareness across people, sites or time.
Test one workflow at a time — Start small, evaluate whether it improves clarity or efficiency and move on if it doesn’t. Learning what doesn’t work is part of the process.

AI as a Capability, Not a Commitment

Above all, Terry recommends dipping your toe in and seeing what AI can do for you.

“It’s not a spectator sport. When I first got involved with AI, I thought I had to do it perfectly and know a lot. Actually, the best thing you can do is get in and start doing it,” Terry says.

Waiting to understand everything before engaging often means never engaging at all. At the same time, not every tool will be worth keeping, and applying the wrong one can add complexity without benefit.

Rather than a single investment decision, AI is better viewed as a capability to explore. Used thoughtfully, it changes how quickly patterns are noticed, how efficiently information is handled and how confidently decisions can be made. For cattle practice, that shift is what makes AI worth paying attention to.

3 Ways To Protect Your Ag Business from Cybersecurity Threats

Mon, 27 Oct 2025 14:59:14 GMT

Agriculture is in the bull’s-eye for threat actors trying to access business information. But as Chris Sherman says: “Our keys in the visor mentality” has many farmers trusting too much and putting too much at risk.

Sherman is the founder of Tech Support Farm, an IT and cybersecurity consulting business who works with farmers, co-ops, custom harvesters and more ag businesses to shore up their systems, lock down their sensitive information and stay attuned to emerging risks.

The FBI has listed agriculture as a critical infrastructure for cybersecurity.

So where do most farmers leave themselves vulnerable to hackers? Sherman shares these:

1. Email

Sherman points to email as the No. 1 priority for farmers on where to start in taking cybersecurity seriously.

“The amount of information and data we are sending via email leaves every farmer at risk — from our FSA staff, agronomists, banks and more,” he says. “Emails can be intercepted, all contents can be exposed, and no one is the wiser. It would be like a rural mail carrier, and when he drops the mail someone stands there opening it, reading it and closing the envelope and putting it back in the mailbox. Foolhardy to be using the free email services such as Gmail, Yahoo and others.”

Here are four steps to shore up your email:

Get a domain
Get a commercial email provider
Get a filtration software (which monitors what comes in)
Get a DMARC compliance service (which manages outbound emails, so no one spoofs you and encryption is done properly)

As an example of why this should be prioritized, Sherman tells the story of a farm business working on a land deal.

“A dad and son were just about ready to sign, and the dad got an email from the bank, at least it appeared to be from the bank, but it was a spoof encouraging them to e-sign,” he says. “And everyone signed, and it drained the bank accounts and blew up the deal.”

2. Be aware of your personal information shared, and embrace “herd immunity”

All to often, farmers don’t have passcodes on their phones.

“That’s like leaving your credit card at the bar,” Sherman says. “For some reason in agriculture we are running multimillion dollar businesses on residential-grade infrastructure.”

He says by the nature of the business, enrolling in government programs, immigration workforce programs (such as H-2A) and more, make your address, phone number and email readily accessible.

“It’s a wealth of opportunity for threat actors. We can’t leave our doors and windows open,” Sherman says. “So you have to protect yourself, and encourage your friends, neighbors and business partners to do the same. If we are all reducing our individual risk, we are reducing the overall risk.”

3. Use high-quality passwords

Sherman says good passwords are must-have on all your accounts, including your Wi-Fi.

“Too often, farmers have their password just be a duplicate of the network name. Or if a farmer’s favorite tractor is a John Deere 4450, 4450 is his pin for everything,” he says. “When we are on the internet, it’s like being in the big city, and you have to act accordingly.”

AI on Dairies is Coming in Hot

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 11:44:48 GMT

Artificial intelligence (AI) is permeating nearly every facet of society, and soon it will be a regular fixture on dairy farms, too, according to Miel Hostens, Robert and Anne Everett endowed associate professor of digital dairy management and data analytics at Cornell University.

On a recent episode of the “ Cornell Cow Convos ” podcast, Hostens says he currently considers AI to be in the exploratory stage.

“At this moment, I think we’re in a bit of a ‘hype cycle,’” he says. “We’re just starting to see some of the advantages that could potentially be applicable to the dairy industry.”

Hostens says there currently are very few AI-based technologies that are ready for commercial farms, but that will be changing quickly as companies strive to apply the technology to assist dairies in meaningful ways. Some of the potential applications he mentioned are parlor management, lameness/locomotion scoring, automated body condition scoring (BCS) and calving detection.

He says the origins of AI have been in place for decades but have been bolstered recently by cheaper and more robust computational power, coupled with natural language processing techniques and photography and video technology.

Some “baby steps” toward full-on AI have already be implemented on dairies, such as using basic statistics to program systems to signal alerts. But in that case, humans made the decisions and set the data thresholds, versus the machine learning that is the cornerstone of AI.

“Nowadays, with machine learning, you can throw a whole bunch of data at these algorithms, and the algorithms are able to find patterns themselves without humans being involved anymore,” he explains.

There will be questions and even ethical considerations along the way. For example, it’s one thing to capture and apply data on cows for BCS or locomotion scoring, but is it an invasion of privacy to analyze and apply human behavior in parlor management? Hostens says that is yet to be determined.

And who, exactly, owns the data?

“The ownership stays forever with the one who creates the data and that’s the farmer,” declares Hostens, who also is director of Cornell’s Bovi-Analytics Lab.

But, he adds, unlike a tractor or piece of land, it is possible for more than one entity to own data. In addition to the farm, it could be legally possible for the AI company to own a common set of data.

Just like a robotic milker or feed pusher, Hostens says it’s also important to have a plan in place for breakdowns. If the system is knocked offline or quits functioning for some reason, who will step in to take its place?

In preparation for the onset of AI, Hostens advises dairy managers to take the following steps to maximize it in their business:

Get your data ready – Think about the issues on your dairy that could be solvable through AI, and begin collecting data sets on them now that could potentially be plugged into an algorithm later.
Consider monetizing it -- Hostens says AI companies cannot train their algorithms and deliver services to dairies without the ground truth that happens on a dairy.
“If you are generating data for an AI company, you can ask for something in return,” he advises.

Hostens says AI will obviously not eliminate the need for people to care for animals on dairies, but it will shift employee needs in some ways. For example, fewer people might be needed to manually perform BCS or walk pens to monitor calving, but someone will need to regularly maintain the equipment that performs those tasks instead.

“Those systems will have to be running all the time,” he says. “What we tend to do is put those cameras high on the ceiling and hope that they will monitor forever. But you will need to have some kind of maintenance system around it.”

AI systems also still need to be developed to a point that they are generalizable across farms, Hostens says.

“But the promises are big, that’s for sure,” he adds.

Your Next Read:
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From Brew to Moo: The Sustainable Dairy Practices at Ayers Farm

Thu, 28 Aug 2025 11:33:49 GMT

A good brew isn’t just for humans — it’s on the menu for the Holstein cows at Ayers Farm in Perryville, Ohio, too. This unique twist in cattle feed comes from an unexpected source: the Budweiser plant in Columbus. At Ayers Farm, home to more than 600 Holstein cows, this innovative use of brewer’s mash, a byproduct of the beer-making process, has become an integral part of their operation.

(Ayers Farm)

A Sustainable Diet
At Ayers Farm, sustainability is a key focus. The herd’s nutritionist orchestrates a delicate balance of crops and upcycled food byproducts to ensure the cows’ diet is both nutritious and environmentally conscious. Kathy Davis, a seventh-generation dairy farmer at Ayers Farms, emphasizes the importance of this approach.

“By using a byproduct from another process, we prevent it from ending up in a trash pile,” she says, underscoring their commitment to sustainable practices and innovative feed solutions that benefit their cows and the broader agricultural community.

Davis says they have been feeding distillers grains ever since she was in high school in the late ‘80s. She says farmers are the ultimate recyclers, adding they also include corn gluten, soybean meal and cottonseed to their cows’ diets.

“It was close by, and we could incorporate into the ration what would be beneficial,” she says, noting that prior to feeding distillers grains, the farm used potato waste from a nearby Frito Lay plant. “That is when we were feeding out steers. The potato starch content didn’t make it a good fit to feed our cows, but we’re always looking for benefits, and the distiller grain is economical, and our nutritionist was really excited about the possible benefits for it.”

(Ayers Farm)

Behind the Scenes
Ayers Farm isn’t just feeding its cows better — it’s also incorporating technology to enhance the health and productivity of their herd. From GEA activity monitors on breeding-age heifers, as well as lactating and dry cows to integrated feeding programs, plus DeLaval cameras in the maternity pens, the farm is leveraging tech to stay ahead. These systems provide valuable data that helps manage everything from health indicators to milk production metrics, ensuring issues are flagged before they become problems.

“It’s not just about milk production; it’s about having a good workforce and external partners, such as nutritionists and veterinarians, that help us achieve a sustainable, rewarding livelihood,” Davis shares. “Ultimately, it has to return a good livelihood to us and for our employees, so that our work-to-life balance is good, and we feel like we’re accomplishing something when we come to work every day.”

In addition to the cows, the Ayers have an equal number of replacement heifers and farm 1,500 acres. A total of 25 people work on their farm, which also includes owner-operators.

Challenges and the Future
Despite their advancements, like many farms, Ayers Farm faces challenges, particularly concerning labor and logistical hurdles in milk hauling. Yet, they are adapting, trying innovative solutions such as breeding and beef-on-dairy strategies to improve margins.

Looking ahead, steady communication and strategic planning are crucial for Ayers Farm, especially with generational transitions on the horizon. Davis’ father and uncle are in their ‘70s, while she and her cousin continue to accumulate more responsibilities. Succession planning not only involves the transfer of assets but also adapting the day-to-day share of operation responsibilities to ensure smooth management handoffs.

Ayers Farm is a testament to how traditional farming values can coexist with innovative practices. By incorporating distillers grains, optimizing feed through technology and planning for future generations, Ayers Farm continues to thrive in an ever-evolving agricultural landscape.

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The Next Frontier of Cow Nutrition is Encapsulated

Thu, 28 Aug 2025 13:06:55 GMT

Consumption trends are driving the milk industry like never before. Weight loss drugs, body building supplements, diets for the elderly and the need to maintain muscle mass in an aging population. A proactively engaged consumer (Prosumer) is demanding a diversity of food options to match environmental concerns, animal welfare, ethnic diets, etc. The influence of social media on consumption is pervasive on the food shelves of supermarkets and convenience stores. Visiting a grocery store in a large city is more like a safari — a mixture of entertainment and storytelling — than about the actual nutritional needs of the consumer.

Milk processors have struggled to keep up, and the milk shelves have never been fuller of a more diverse range of options. The range of cheese, yogurt and ice-cream labels would challenge the average recent graduate of the food science programs of our best Universities.

What can dairy producers do?

1. Genetics: The recent and dramatic advances in reported milk components in the U.S. dairy herd has been nothing short of extraordinary. Cobank reports the 2024 U.S. butterfat levels reached 4.23%, and proteins are now at 3.29% — a record by historical standards. This has been driven by better genetic selection, particularly in Holsteins, and feeding and managing those genetics for optimal performance. It is reasonable to expect further improvements in bovine genetics will continue these trends over the coming decade.

2. Feeding for milk components: Traditionally, nutritionists have used least-cost feed formulation software in order to achieve the most cost-effective milk production. Often decisions were taken based on single ingredient digestibility and not on how a diet affects rumen fermentation, ruminal biomass or the absorption of those nutrients in the lower gastrointestinal tract. The use of bypass proteins and anionic salts have shown what is possible when ingredients can avoid degradation by rumen micro-organisms. The use of yeast cultures is another approach, enhancing rumen fermentation of fibers and acidity (pH) to produce more microbial protein, and eventually increased milk components.

3. Precision feeding for milk components: The last 10 years have seen an explosion in the use of encapsulated ingredients to bypass the rumen, allowing this concept to go from niche to mainstream. The most obvious example of this has been Adisseo’s Smartamine & Meta-Smart, and protected forms of methionine are now said to be used in over 70% of the top-producing dairy herds. As one New York dairy farmer said to me, “When my nutritionist forgets to put it in the feed, I see the changes in the milk tanks within days.”

Globally, another dozen companies have entered the fray. The new leaders are all looking beyond methionine to a range of nutrients that both increase milk production, milk components and intestinal health. Balchem (Lysine, Choline), Jefo (B-Vitamins, essential oils), ADM, Kemin, Alltech (nonprotein nitrogen) are just some of those leading in this field. The excitement of using microencapsulation is that it allows these feed ingredients to bypass rumen degradation, effectively turning the ruminant into a monogastric. In other words, feeding a cow as though she was a pig.

A demonstration of the scale of excitement around how encapsulation is seen as a game changer is that Jefo recently opened a new $100 million factory in Canada just to meet the needs of their North American customers — focused on delivering combinations of ingredients (Matrix technology) to improve cow health, productivity and fertility.

What’s next?

Artificial intelligence will most likely increase the pace of change in our cow’s nutrition. Understanding how to influence the ruminal microbiota through nutrition, more precisely and in real time, will move science forward. Traditional rumen models such as the artificial rumen simulation systems (e.g. Rusitec), predictive models such as the Cornell CPCPS Model and INRA Systali (PDI) in Europe, are being supplanted by AI-based systems. Equally using sensors in the rumen (digital boluses, Smaxtec) and in-line and individual cow milk sensors (Labby, SomaDetect), will give farmers the ability to see the benefits of delivering nutrition in real time. Feeding precisely means in the right place, in the right form, at the right time. Already Canadian farmers have reported dramatic benefits of encapsulating all of the micronutrients fed to their cows in a single delivery, on milk components, somatic cells and fertility. This will undoubtedly be the future: reimagining all aspects of feeding cows.

When it comes to nutrition, it’s like Dorothy said in the Wizard of Oz: “We aren’t in Kansas, anymore!”

Do Trained Heifers Really Perform Better With Robots?

Wed, 13 Aug 2025 13:15:58 GMT

A new study has found that giving heifers a little practice time with an automated milking system (AMS) before calving can significantly improve how quickly they adapt during the first few weeks of lactation.

The transition to a robot can be a stressful experience for heifers who must not only learn to become a cow but also figure out how to navigate and use an unfamiliar milking system. Researchers from the University of Guelph recently set out to test whether structured precalving training could smooth the transition for first-lactation cows into robotic milking.

The study involved 30 pregnant Holstein heifers, enrolled about three weeks before their expected calving date. To keep results consistent, the animals were paired according to due date and randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups. The control group received no exposure to the AMS before calving, while the training group participated in a four-day familiarization program.

For the training, heifers were brought into the AMS pen approximately two weeks before their actual calving date. Over the four days, they experienced three short training sessions per day. These sessions introduced them to the robot, the feed concentrate available during milking and the mechanical arm and operational noises of the AMS. The goal was to remove as many “first-time” stressors as possible before actual milking began.

Once the heifers calved in individual maternity pens, both groups were moved between three and seven days in milk, to a free-traffic AMS pen. Here, cows could voluntarily visit the milking unit or be fetched if they did not enter within a certain time. A fetch pen, located near the AMS entrance, held cows that needed to be brought in.

For the next 21 days, researchers monitored milking activity, cow behavior and milk production. They recorded the number of visits to the AMS, voluntary milkings, fetch events and time spent in the fetch pen. They also assessed “ease of entry” into the machine, milk letdown and kicking behavior during the first six milkings across the first two days in the AMS.

At the conclusion of the study, it was clear that the heifers who got some practice time in were better prepared for robotic milking. These animals had a significantly better ease-of-entry score and better milk-letdown scores compared with untrained heifers. Trained heifers were also more willing to enter the machine and let their milk flow without hesitation.

Milking frequency saw an increase compared to the untrained animals as well. Over the 21-day period, trained heifers averaged 6.1 total visits to the AMS per day, compared with 5.0 for the control group. When looking at voluntary visits, the trained group averaged 5.6 per day, compared with just 4.2 for untrained heifers. They also had slightly more voluntary milkings, averaging 2.6 per day versus 2.2 for controls.

This higher level of voluntary engagement translated into less time and labor spent fetching cows. Untrained heifers averaged one fetch per day and spent 18.7 minutes per day in the fetch pen. Trained heifers averaged only 0.8 fetches per day and 14.6 minutes in the fetch pen.

Trained heifers also stood out for producing more milk. On average, first-lactation animals in the rehearsed group yielded 72.3 lb. per day during the study, about 4.9 lb. more than the untrained group’s 67.3 lb. Researchers noted that this early advantage can carry through the entire lactation, leading to greater overall productivity and profitability compared to their non-trained counterparts.

Even though heifers without training can still adjust to the AMS, the researchers believe the improved adaptation and performance in the trained group stem from reduced novelty and stress. Getting familiar with the sights, sounds and movements of the machine before calving helped them feel more comfortable when it was time to start milking.

For farms using robotic milking, spending a little time familiarizing heifers with the system before their first milking could make the transition to the AMS smoother and give first-lactation cows a jump-start to their early milk production.

There’s a Lot of Info in That Little TSU

Tue, 29 Jul 2025 17:06:26 GMT

“The sky’s the limit if you have that sample,” says Jim Butcher, a Simmental seedstock producer from Lewistown, Mont.

He’s talking about all the things you can learn about the genetic potential of your cattle that is contained in a tissue sampling unit (TSU). The genomic information you get from each sample can, collectively and individually, help you more quickly move your herd’s genetic progress forward in an intentional, science-assisted direction.

There’s lots of info in that little vial.

(Allflex)

For commercial cow-calf producers, submitting the DNA sample in a TSU will return a scoresheet on each animal ‘s genetic merit for different indexes and specific traits, says Leoma Donsbach, owner and founder of Data Genie, LLC.

She calls herself a data accountant, helping customers attach the data on their operation to their record-keeping system. She says almost all her customers use TSUs to collect DNA and obtain genomic data.

Genomics are becoming more and more popular with commercial beef producers, she says.

“For replacement females, the ability to have a snapshot of that female’s genetic potential leads to increased confidence in keeping that heifer. You can say, ‘This heifer is more likely to be here until age six or seven by looking at her stayability metrics.’”

Say, for example, you’ve done your visual appraisal and picked 50 heifers as potential replacements, but you only need to keep 40. Visually, those heifers are very similar. But genetically, they could be very different, depending on what genes they received from their parents.

That’s where the TSUs and the genomic data they provide come in. First, test all 50 replacement candidates.

“Then breed them and find out which ones are bred,” she says. Even if everything went right, that still leaves some extras. “You can go back and use the genomic data to select the traits you want and/or use a maternal or terminal index to make those final decisions. You use it like comparing genomically enhanced EPDs when buying bulls.”

Beyond replacement selection, you can extrapolate the DNA data on your heifers when marketing your steers, she says. “On average, your steers will have similar genetics to your heifers. That information may add to their sale price.”

Then There Are The Bulls

Just like heifers, bulls can be full siblings and still be remarkably different in their genetic makeup.

“We’re great phenotype collectors of birth weights, weaning weights, all that,” Butcher says. “But you really don’t know what you have until you know what genes that particular animal picked up.”

When seedstock producers send in a TSU, they get back genomically enhanced EPDs. That, Butcher says, allows him to supply more accurate information about young bulls for his customers and help them make the best bull-buying decisions they can within their budget.

Indeed, not every bull is suited for every ranch. Studying the genomically enhanced EPDs gives you greater confidence in the true genetic potential of young bulls.

“You lessen the probabilities that you’re buying an animal that won’t help you move your program forward,” Butcher says.

Your Next Read: Building the Next Generation Cow Herd Using Genomic Testing

The Legacy and Innovation of Lumar Dairy: Blending Tradition with Future Growth

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 14:15:25 GMT

In the heart of central California lies Lumar Dairy, a testament to the extraordinary journey of a family that turned sheer determination into a thriving agricultural enterprise. Founded in the late 1960s by a group of dedicated brothers from the Borba family, Lumar Dairy has grown from its humble beginnings. Louie Borba, an essential part of this legacy, recounts the story of hard work, innovation and generational shifts that have shaped their success.

A Family’s Dairy Dream
Borba’s father and two uncles began their American story like many immigrants, working tirelessly on farms despite language barriers and financial constraints. Emigrating from the Azores in pursuit of the American dream, the Borbas dreams materialized with the purchase of their first 35 cows and the rental of a small facility. By the late 70s, they had expanded to a larger farm, eventually building a new dairy facility in the mid-80’s.

As the family expanded, so did their business acumen. In the 90s, recognizing the need for individual growth and more specialized operations, the Borba family amicably split their venture into separate dairies, leading to the creation of Lumar Dairy in 1994, which Borba’s father managed and owned, until he eventually took over.

The Next Generation
Borba’s journey within this family business was almost predestined. Growing up as the only son among three sisters on the family dairy, his path was clear.

“It was always in my DNA,” he proudly says. His upbringing and the values imparted by his father and uncles — an unwavering commitment to family, faith and cows — provided a solid foundation for the dairy’s continued success.

“Hard work pays off,” he says, noting that was the key factor in the previous generation’s success.

Much like his parents’ generation, Borba and his wife find joy in raising their children on a family dairy. Their children participate in 4-H and sports but also head to the dairy to spend time learning from their father.

Borba and all of his cousins are continuing their father’s legacies.

“We still all get along,” he says. “I don’t have any brothers, so they’re like my older brothers, and we talk all the time and have a tight relationship.”

Borba is proud to say he is a cow guy, noting that he is still heavily involved in the day-to-day work on the farm, overseeing herdsman responsibilities, such as herd health vet checks.

Lumar uses a 70-30 ratio of beef to sexed semen usage on the milking herd, as Borba shares they are in growth mode.

“We are trying to recover from bad calf feeders,” he says. “I know how many heifers I need a month, and we’re exceeding that, and they’re staying alive.”

With incorporating SenseHub Dairy Youngstock [monitoring system] with the calves and increasing sexed semen usage, Borba plans to grow 300 cows this year and another 300 the following year, on their way to 2,400 head milking.

When it comes to technology, Borba’s were one of the first in their area to build a carousel parlor.

“Dad was all about technology and genetic gains,” he says. “We always used good bulls. We’ve bred AI forever, so he was always open to using new technology.”

(Merck Animal Health)

Embracing Change and Technology
Lumar Dairy is anything but stuck in the past. From adopting genetic advancements such as RFID tags, using sexed semen, to implementing SenseHub Dairy collars for herd monitoring, Lumar Dairy consistently embraces innovation. Although, Borba notes that balancing risk and innovation require courage and a willingness to adapt.

When the decision to adopt new technology in calf care arose, Borba was uncertain. The potential was clear, yet choosing the right technology was pivotal. The idea was simple: get involved in a trial program, and if the technology worked, fantastic; if not, there were no significant losses.

“I didn’t know which calf monitoring system I wanted to go with because it all was new technology,” he says. “I didn’t want to invest in the wrong one, but I knew SenseHub was good.”

Borba’s journey with SenseHub Youngstock began in October 2022, but it wasn’t until a year and a half later that the system was truly optimized. The initial phase underscored a critical insight: Even the best technology fails without proper operation, evidenced by challenges with inadequate calf feeders.

“Good technology cannot be managed by a poor calf manager,” Borba says, noting that he took over managing the calves until he could find the right person. That occurred nearly a year later when he hired Maria. According to Borba, Maria was not just an employee; she brought a unique combination of dedication and passion to her role, traits indispensable for the transition to modernized calf care.

“Maria lives and breathes our calves,” he says. “She saw what I was doing, trusted me, believed in our protocols, and the transformation was like day and night.”

(Merck Animal Health)

Borba said without using SenseHub, Maria is a good employee. But add the calf technology into the equation, and she is an excellent employee.

“She doesn’t have an ego and trusted the data coming off the reports,” he shares.

Since incorporating the technology and Maria, their calf death loss has dropped dramatically.

“The return on this investment is excellent. I was at 85 female dairy replacements when I started and now, I’m at 113,” Borba shares.

Borba incorporated SenseHub Dairy collars in October last year.

He says he likes both the reproduction and health benefits that the collars provide.

“Overall, our second service conception has increased, our breeding got better,” he says, noting his herd is still not immune to health issues, like pneumonia or scours. “But, we are able to address everything sooner.”

Borba says their death loss improved because calves were being treated on day one.

Going forward, Borba looks to progress and to constantly improve.

“You cannot start nitpicking, or you’ll go backwards,” he says, noting that he feels like the herd is in a good spot. “It’s just continuing to being consistent.”

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New Calf Health Monitoring Tool is Nothing to Spit At

Mon, 21 Apr 2025 20:26:40 GMT

It’s easy to access, non-invasive, and could provide a window into the health status and welfare of calves. What is it? Believe it or not: saliva.

Animal scientists are researching the telegraphing abilities of saliva in various animal species, including calves. By analyzing its chemical properties, saliva – and changes in its composition over time – can signal stress, inflammation, immune response, and sometimes the presence of disease-causing pathogens.

A recent study by Hungarian researchers measured the cortisol levels in saliva of newborn calves. They found that the levels went up precipitously for all calves immediately after birth, signifying that birth and acclimation to the post-birth environment are highly stressful for calves.

Most significantly, calves that experienced dystocia exhibited much higher salivary cortisol concentrations compared to calves with a normal birth, likely due to prolonged parturition and/or forced extraction.

Another study conducted is Spain also looked at chemical markers in saliva to monitor systemic oxidative stress and compensating antioxidants. They found that when calves were weaned and commingled into larger groups, oxidant molecules increased, which in turn triggered an increase in antioxidants.

This information is valuable from a research perspective because saliva can be sampled using a non-invasive method to assess animal welfare and health, avoiding more painful, time-consuming, and invasive procedures such as blood and tissue sampling. Saliva sampling is noted to be fast, accurate, and cost-effective, and for these reasons can be performed very frequently.

At a more practical level, saliva samples could help determine less-stressful methods of managing and transporting calves. In the future, automated saliva sampling also could possibly trigger alerts for calves on the front side of a disease challenge like pneumonia, or adult cows in the early stages of lameness or metritis, as a few examples.

Saliva also could serve as a tool to determine the best timing for management practices like administering vaccines. If calves are found to be in a state of high oxidative stress based on a simple saliva test, vaccination could be delayed until those levels come down.

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Gene Editing: Livestock Genetic Improvement Through DNA Editing

Mon, 17 Mar 2025 17:18:10 GMT

Traditional cattle breeding has always involved modifying the genetics of animals, but the term “genetic modification” is often associated with more modern biotechnologies like genetic engineering and gene editing.

“Often when people hear the expression ‘genetic modification’ what comes to mind is the whole GMO debate and scary memes on the Internet, or that if you eat GMOs something bad will happen to you,” says Alison Van Eenennaam, UC Davis animal biotechnology and genomics extension specialist. “That narrative has been very hard to correct.”

Van Eenennaam was a featured speaker during Kansas State University’s Cattlemen’s Day on March 7. Genetic engineering, which has been around for about 30 years, involves introducing transgenic constructs from other organisms, such as Bt corn. However, this technology has seen limited use in animal production due to consumer pushback against GMOs and the difficulty of introducing new traits into animals, Van Eenennaam says.

A newer technology called genome editing or gene editing has emerged in the last decade.

“Gene editing is basically just conventional breeding, but done more intelligently,” she summarizes. “This allows for the targeted manipulation of an animal’s DNA without introducing foreign genetic material. For example, researchers have developed a ‘PRRS-resistant’ pig by knocking out a gene that the virus uses to infect the animal. Gene editing can also be used to introduce beneficial alleles from one breed into the elite germplasm of another, without diluting the desired genetics.”

In cattle, gene editing has been used to create knockouts for traits like disease resistance and heat tolerance, as well as knock-ins to introduce desirable alleles like the polled trait.

“In 2009, we were able to define the entire sequence of the cattle genome, which gave us a look at the genetic variation that exists between cattle breeds,” Van Eenennaam says. “In the case of cattle, that’s about 3 billion base pairs of DNA that make up the cattle genome.”

She explained there are two ways to gene edit cattle — cloning and microinjection into zygotes. “The key difference is that cloning starts with an edited cell line, while microinjection edits the zygote directly,” she says. “Ultimately, the goal is to produce a homozygous, non-mosaic animal where both alleles carry the desired edit, ensuring the trait is passed on to offspring.”

Van Eenennaam explains a few of the cattle-focused gene editing projects have centered around traits like polled, disease resistance, heat tolerance and muscle development.

In the swine industry, she says gene editing is being used to improve a pig’s resistance to Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRSV), a devastating disease that costs the swine industry about $1.2 billion per year in the U.S.

A gene editing project that could have a big impact the beef industry is surrogate sires or “artificial insemination on legs.” The process produces bulls that are generating semen from a different cell line. For example, a tropically adapted bull working in an environment where he is well suited, but his semen could be genetically, an Angus sire.

“You can basically do AI on legs, because you could naturally service with elite germplasm,” she says. “There’s a lot of different applications that have some potential to really benefit the beef industry.”

Gene editing technology still faces regulatory hurdles in the U.S., as well as the need to overcome perceptions among countries that buy U.S. beef.

Van Eenennaam says the main risks with gene editing are more reputational than safety-related, as activist groups may try to lump gene editing with GMOs. She encourages more discussion highlighting how gene editing can address issues like animal welfare and disease resistance in ways that align with consumer values.

Excited about the potential of gene editing to improve livestock production in a targeted and precise manner, she summarizes that regulatory approaches will be crucial in determining which applications reach the market and who can bring them forward.

You can watch her K-State Cattlemen’s Day presentation here: https://youtu.be/d7N7a6mYwDk

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GenoSource Has Grown Into One of the Most State-of-the-Art Dairies You'll Find in the U.S.

Wed, 08 Jan 2025 20:34:33 GMT

The Milk Business Leader in Technology Award is given to a farm that focuses on the implementation of technology to improve dairy operations in terms of ROI, labor, time management, etc. GenoSource was named the 2024 Milk Business Leader in Technology Award Winner during the 2024 MILK Business Conference in December.
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At first glance, these two might just look like typical business partners, but peel back the layers, and it’s clear Tim Rauen and Kyle Demmer are more than just that.

“We’re coworkers, we’re partners and we’re best friends,” says Kyle Demmer, COO of GenoSource. “Pretty much everything we do, we kind of bounce ideas off each other and just feed off each other.”

Tim Rauen, CEO of GenoSource, and Kyle Demmer, COO of GenoSource, give a tour of their facilities where they milk 4,000 cows milk in a 90-stall rotary parlor. Their cows are milked 3x/day and average 90 lbs/day with a 4.5% Butterfat and a 3.5% Protein.

(Mike Byers )

It’s a partnership in every sense, but the dairy is also anything but typical.

GenoSource all started with a dream a decade ago; a dream to have a company created by dairy producers for dairy producers. The vision seemed simple but was complex in reality. The dairy farmers wanted to create a modern cow but one that excelled in a freestall environment, had fewer health issues and could convert feed at an efficient rate.

“And now we’re 10 years into this partnership and GenoSource, and I don’t think anyone would change a thing about it,” says Tim Rauen, CEO of GenoSource.

The partnership now involves 8 families, whom all have a love for Holsteins and share a goal of creating a more sustainable future for the next generation.

(GenoSource)

An Early Believer in Genomics
A decade into the partnership, GenoSource has grown into more than these families ever imagined. The partnership now involves eight families, who all love Holsteins and share a goal of creating a more sustainable future for the next generation.

“Being an early believer in genomics, I followed technology, graduated college in 2008, and I told myself we got to follow technology; we’ve got to lead technology for the industry, and we drove right into it,” Rauen says. “We had a lot of naysayers that said, ‘Hey, this isn’t going to work. You shouldn’t go this direction,’ but we did. We put our foot on the gas, and we put the hammer down with it.”

To achieve the highest possible results, GenoSource prides their operation on the integrity of their day-to-day work, their capability to fill the next industry-leading demand and the philosophy of breeding a more profitable cow by investing in some of the world’s greatest genetics. GenoSource believes that genetic advancement is what will help develop the ideal cow for the future.

(Russ Hnatusko )

By homing in on the genetics early on with genomic testing, it’s their ability to grasp onto a plethora of technologies that’s taken this dairy to the next level.

“From a genetics standpoint, we took the herd that we bought, we put embryos into them and ran an extensive embryo program from day one to roll the herd over to the kind of cows we believed in milking,” Rauen says. “We were milking 2,200 cows at the time, and when we came in to it, we were milking about 70 lb. per cow with a 3.4% butterfat and a 2.8% protein. So since then, we’re at 95 lb. per cow. We’re at a 4.6% fat in a 3.5% protein.”

A Growth Mindset
GenoSource expects to be milking 4,800 cows by next summer, as GenoSource excels at improving genetics, cow comfort, nutrition and management, all through technology.

“On the genetics side of things, I look at genomic testing, I look at IVF work,” Rauen says. “Then, I go into cow comfort. We utilize the tunnel ventilation side of things. I go into the parlor. There’s many tools inside the parlor that the technology has advanced over the years. And then on the management side, there’s many things from the database side of things and monitoring tools that are cow monitoring collars. There’s multiple levels of that. So, all four of those have many, many layers of technology, and I don’t think you can ignore any of those. And you just got to look at all of them and see how you can improve the herd.”

Barns Packed With Technology
Their barns are also packed with technology. The dairy installed tunnel ventilation and smart control in 2021, as the dairy was forced to rebuild after the devastating derecho tore through their farm in august of 2020.

“Prior to the derecho, we were looking at putting tunnel ventilation in,” Rauen says. “We were looking at adding another barn to the facility as we want to grow and melt more cows. And it was that time where when we had to do that remodel, it pretty much forced our hand and said, ‘Hey, let’s go get tunnel ventilation done to our barns.’”

The team decided to expand the barns to add additional rows, which Rauen says was a big change. And while it was frightening financially to make that decision, he’s glad they did.

New construction across GenoSource are signs of more progress underway today, with GenoSource in the middle of putting in a new methane digester, a new maternity barn and a dry cow calving facility.

(Mike Byers )

New Construction: Signs of More Progress Underway
Today, new construction at their dairy is a sign of more progress underway, with GenoSource in the middle of building a methane digester, as well as a new maternity barn.

“We’re also building a new dry cow calving facility. We feel it’s so important when these cows come out day one that everything’s done properly from the cleanliness to colostrum. And also taking care of that cow, so she’s ready to make milk for a full lactation,” Rauen says. “The barn is going to be fully ventilated and have a sprinkler system. There’s a lot of new ideas we’re putting into those facilities, because we’re always looking for ways to increase the cow comfort side of things.

With technology at their fingertips, GenoSource is constantly monitoring their operations.

(Russ Hnatusko )

Work Smarter, Not Harder
The progress hasn’t always been easy, but just look around GenoSource’s state-of-the-art facility, and you can see those investments are paying off.

“Sometimes you need to work smarter, not harder,” Demmer says. “We have the smart sort gate, we have the collars; it makes a lot of people’s jobs a lot easier, and you can be way better at your job.”

With tech like Farmfit, which helps them constantly monitor their animals, it’s that technology that helps the dairy produce a better a better environment for the cows, and it also helps them retain employees.

“Three years ago, we used to lock every all the cows up and give repro shots, vaccines, breed everything out here in the barns,” Demmer says. “Now, we never lock the cows up. We put them in the sort gate and let the cows come to us. As far as injuries and employee safety, it’s all huge. You don’t have to worry about chasing the cows around. I think there’s a huge cost savings, too, and it’s way safer for the cows and the people.”

Cow Comfort is Key
GenoSource has created an environment where these cows are content, which might be the biggest sign of success any dairy can have.

“Some things that excite me the most are the cows are happy,” Rauen says. “So, when you have happy cows, they help pay the bills, and you can come out here 365 days a year, and cows are out here making milk. I always have the motto, ‘you take care of the cows, they’ll take care of you.’”

A dairy that knows no limits, it’s embracing technology that’s allowing GenoSource create new opportunities on their farm.

“Honestly, technology helps you get through some of those challenges, and we’re able to pull the data from different things,” Rauen says. “I think we’re ready for the next 10 years.

That is why GenoSource is the 2024 Milk Business Leader in Technology Award winner.

Secrets to Success with Precision Cow Monitoring Systems

Tue, 19 Nov 2024 17:51:41 GMT

Activity and rumination monitoring systems -- precision cow monitoring -- can revolutionize the way a dairy manages its cows. Or they can pile up frustrations and create greater expense without adding value, according to Dr. Melissa Cantor, Assistant Professor in Precision Dairy Science at Penn State University. She noted the following requirements to make the systems worth the investment for dairies:

A commitment to embracing technology – Successfully using precision cow monitoring requires a combination of common sense, cow sense, and tech sense. Cantor said it’s not necessary for anyone on the dairy to be a technological whiz, but at least one person must be committed to learning the system, monitoring the data, and making decisions based off of it. “A lot of times what happens is people will buy these systems for estrus detection. This is fine, but farmers often pay for the algorithms for transition cow monitoring too because it is also a really attractive feature,” she stated. “However, if no one is acting on that data, you’re paying for something and not using it. Make sure you allocate a worker to transition cow monitoring with the system for maximum benefit.”
Customizing alerts – Cantor said many precision cow monitoring systems were developed in Europe. Thus, the default settings were validated in herds of less than 100 cows that are usually housed quite differently than typical U.S. herds. “A lot of people don’t realize that the software lets you play with the thresholds of alerts,” Cantor advised. “For heat detection, I advise to mostly leave those alone; they work really well. But for transition cows, see what thresholds fit best for your farm. If you’re being alerted and the cows look perfectly healthy, the software needs to be adjusted. The same is true if you’re not being alerted until the cows are really sick and could benefit from earlier intervention. Ask your equipment dealer for how to adjust the health alert settings before purchasing.”
Timely installation – Cantor shared that it takes most systems about a month for the algorithm to understand an individual cow’s activity behavior for estrus detection. Some health alert systems take at least 50 cattle to move through the system before timely health alerts are detected in the herd, and most take about 8-12 days to learn an individual cow’s behavior. This is highly dependent on which system is purchased so make sure to ask your equipment dealer about the system you are purchasing.

She said a common mistake is to put rumination monitoring collars on cows when they freshen, versus a few weeks before in the dry period. “Those first 10 days in milk are when a lot of problems happen, but those opportunities will be missed because the system doesn’t understand the cow yet,” she said. “Plus, the baseline is also off, because the system thinks those early fresh days are ‘normal’ for the cow, when that’s not the case at all.” Cantor recommends putting rumination tags on cows at 21 days before freshening for maximum results.

It isn’t commonly known, but cows at risk for metabolic disorders show changes in rumination patterns weeks before calving. Keeping an eye on rumination patterns in the dry close up period is fundamental to evaluate which cows have consistent rumination and which ones have high variation in rumination patterns (at least an hour of variation a day). The ones that aren’t consistent in their rumination patterns are the cows to keep a close eye on after calving.
Maintenance minding – Just as a point person is needed to utilize the technology, another is needed to keep it functioning. That could be the same person or two different individuals. But someone needs to be in charge of ensuring batteries are still functioning; tags are in good repair and staying on the cows; and equipment pieces are cleaned regularly. Cantor said a common problem with precision technologies in general is that they are viewed as shiny new tools that are maintenance-free. “That’s definitely not true,” said Cantor. “Virtually every dairy that hates their automated milking system, for example, is not maintaining it.”

Cantor said the capabilities of activity and rumination monitoring systems extend beyond estrus detection; they are exciting and highly valuable -- especially when it comes to transition cows – once the system is understood and customized to the dairy. “I hope more people use activity and rumination monitoring to fine-tune their transition programs,“ stated Cantor. “It’s great when it works.”

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Unlock the Future: How Tech is Revolutionizing Dairy Farming

Tue, 22 Oct 2024 15:01:39 GMT

Dairy producers take immense pride in delivering a wholesome product day in and day out. However, with the global population projected to surge by 30% in the next three decades and available farmland decreasing by 250 million acres by 2050, the agricultural sector faces an enormous challenge. To meet the growing demand, agricultural production must increase by 40%.

Recently at the Center of Excellence’s Dairy Financial and Risk Management Conference in Harrisburg, Pa., three producers talked about their journey of innovation and technology as a way to spell longevity to their operations.

Alan Waybright’s Technological Upgrades Journey
Located in Mount Rock, Pa., Alan Waybright’s farm serves as a compelling example of how innovation can drive success in dairy farming. Purchased in 2019, the farm began with 650 cows and has since expanded to 940 cows. These cows now produce 92 lbs. of milk, with component levels of 4.2% butterfat and 3.3% protein on a four-times-per-day milking schedule.

A significant contributor to this success has been the technological upgrades implemented on the farm. The family invested in upgrading their parlor from a double-12 herringbone to a new, Delaval, 50-cow rotary milking parlor equipped with a pre-and post-dip robotic arm, enhancing efficiency, as the cows can now all be milked under four hours. Moreover, they added a new calf barn, a 210 x 240 silage pad, and a 160-stall four-row free stall barn. These upgrades not only improved productivity but also animal welfare and farm management.

Additionally, the farm works with Total Farm Marketing to mitigate risk by helping book commodities and milk futures.

“We lean on a whole team that can help us make decisions that can benefit our future,” Waybright says.

Brake’s Automation Transformation
Matthew Brake with Oakleigh Farm milks 120 Registered Holsteins and farms 400 acres, all with family labor. The family experienced a barn fire in December of 2019 that made them change the landscape – honing in on automation – as the family rebuilt and added two Lely robots less than a year later.

“We obviously never want to go through that again or wish for anyone to have to go through that, but it is really amazing to see how technology can work together,” he says, noting the curtains on the barns are automated, along with the fans in the barn. “Plus, all the data that we get from the robots. It is pretty amazing.”

Brake says that changing to robots has increased production and reduced the need for labor.

“Because of the technology, we have more flexibility and family time,” he adds.

Peckman: Embracing Diversity and Technology
At Slate Ridge Dairy Farm, Inc., Ben Peckman underscores the importance of diversity in mitigating risks. In addition to milking 170 cows, the family raises 100 youngstock, 150 steers, and farms around 1,100 acres. “Diversity is our key technology,” Peckman states

“It cannot be bought, but it pays. Diversity is our secret weapon to combat weather, markets and other risks.”

Peckman utilizes a variety of technologies including GPS guidance, planter row clutches, variable rate seeding, sprayer boom section control, and yield monitoring to optimize operations. They also use daily forage dry matter measuring and the SCiO cup and phone app for adjustments, leading to more consistent intakes and production and higher components. The farm has a robotic feed pusher that drives higher intakes on fresh feed and saves labor, and automated ventilation controls, fans, curtains, sprinklers, and a mobile calf milk pasteurizer.

Peckman notes that on their own, each of these technologies are relatively small investments.

“However, they are fairly affordable for small to medium-sized dairies,” he says. “They add up to make large impacts on our daily operations and ultimately, our profitability.”

By adopting advanced technologies and diverse strategies, producers not only enhance efficiency and productivity but also ensure sustainable and profitable operations for the future.

5 Reasons Why You Should Consider Robotic Batch-Style Milking Technology

Thu, 15 Aug 2024 15:39:16 GMT

Robotic milking is certainly nothing new in the dairy world. However, a new approach to automated milking is gaining traction in the industry – robotic batch-style milking.

With reliable labor availability on a downward slope, this milking style has become an enticing option for producers to stay competitive and sustainable while relying on fewer employees. By automating the milking process and allowing for more precise herd management, this technology not only reduces labor costs but also helps enhance overall farm productivity.

“Automated batch-style milking combines the labor savings and technology benefits of a robot with the management style of a parlor,” says Julie Whitmer, automated milking system (AMS) business development manager for GEA.

This innovative approach involves milking cows in groups at scheduled times using a row of box robots, effectively replicating a conventional parlor setup.

“Built on our box robot’s proven technology and performance, this milking style gives dairy farmers another option to milk their cows with more data and consistency,” says Whitmer. “It also gives dairies the flexibility to upgrade their milking facilities while using existing barns, holding pens and sorting areas.”

Whitmer outlines five ways dairy farmers can benefit from batch-style robotic milking.

Enhanced Safety

According to Whitmer, batch-style milking helps reduce the need for several well-trained people to perform cow prep and milking tasks during every milking shift. Instead, the robots allow employees to be more flexible with their responsibilities, keeping them out of harm’s way when it comes to milking and treating animals.

“Batch-style milking enhances safety and comfort for the cow and employee,” Whitmer says. “You can minimize the chance for injuries by reducing the potential of risky interactions between people and cows in the parlor – all while making the milking experience quiet, consistent and more enjoyable for the cow.”

Streamlined Maintenance

Compared to traditional box-robot operations, batch-style milking systems allow producers to place robots closer together instead of spreading them out throughout various pens. This allows the robots to be more centrally located, streamlining maintenance tasks.

“Since you have downtime between milkings, you have more time to service the robots without disrupting daily routines,” Whitmer adds.

Efficient Cow Flow

Another advantage to robotic batch-style milking is reducing the time spent handling cows. In traditional robotic setups, producers will often have to fetch cows who don’t show up to the robot on their own. Batch-style systems operate more like a parlor with cows being brought to the robot in groups.

“You don’t have any fetch cows since you’re bringing the cows up to the boxes to be milked,” Whitmer says. “With all cows exiting the boxes at a fixed milking time, it’s easy to sort out cows that need attention instead of looking at a fetch list and finding them hours later.”

In addition to better cow flow, Whitmer says other tasks like running cows through a foot bath or hoof trimming can be completed just like with a traditional parlor.

Specified Nutrition

Cows milked with automatic milking systems are typically incentivized to enter the robot by feeding a specialized pellet. The same is true with robotic batch-style milking. Unlike a parlor system, producers can feed individual cows a certain amount of specialized feed based on their individual needs.

“We can top-dress the bunk ration by feeding more energy and protein in the robot,” Whitmer says. “This helps you push individual cows while controlling costs more at the bunk.”

Consistent Milking

Different from traditional robotic systems where cows determine when and how often they want to be milked, batch-style milking allows cows to stay on a consistent milking schedule without the need of designated milking employees.

“This streamlined process maximizes the milk letdown effect from the cow for faster milking times, which leads to better box times and more cows milked per hour,” Whitmer adds.

By reducing the risk of human error and setting specific times for groups to be milked, animals in batch-style systems have the benefit of a consistent routine in a non-traditional, data-driven setup.

“You can expect consistent milking by delegating the milking process to automation,” Whitmer says. “GEA’s milking robots are built on proven technology, providing a strong foundation for this style of milking.”

Merck Launches New Activity Monitoring Technology, SENSEHUB Dairy Youngstock

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 13:57:36 GMT

Merck has announced the launch of their new activity monitoring system, SENSEHUB Dairy Youngstock, he industry’s first monitoring technology for dairy calves from birth through the first 12 months of life.

According to the company, the new product will make it easier for dairy producers and calf managers to detect and locate calves and heifers who need attention. A science-based algorithm is used to constantly monitor animal behavior through a special SENSEHUB monitoring ear tag.

The technology identifies animals that exhibit behaviors that fall outside their individual norms, indicating they may need attention. The SENSEHUB monitoring ear tag also incorporates a blinking LED light so workers can quickly and easily locate those animals and apply appropriate interventions.

“This technology has the potential to revolutionize the way we raise calves and heifers,” said Brandt Kreuscher, dairy business development manager, North America, Merck Animal Health, in a company press release. “For the first time, dairy producers can harness objective data to find calves that may need extra care and then provide early intervention to keep them on a path toward becoming healthy and productive cows.”

According to Merck, research shows that calves diagnosed with bovine respiratory disease (BRD) are more than twice as likely to die or be removed from the herd before their first calving. Furthermore, heifers experiencing calfhood BRD have lower average daily gain and produce less milk during their first lactations.

With cattle being animals of prey, calves have a natural tendency to hide symptoms of disease. Merck states that SENSEHUB Dairy Youngstock helps to overcome this instinctive behavior by identifying potential signs of illness, often before symptoms are apparent to caregivers.

The new technology also allows dairy producers to use labor more efficiently.

“With SENSEHUB Dairy Youngstock, dairy workers can focus their valuable time and resources on the calves and heifers that need attention, leaving the others alone,” Kreuscher said. “The efficiency associated with the technology allows herd managers to adjust the workflow on their operation and more effectively utilize their best employees.”

Diamond H Dairy of Chowchilla, Calif., has already begun utilizing the new technology on their operation and has seen promising results.

“With the SENSEHUB system, instead of looking at 800 calves, we can focus on the 30, 40 or 50 that are on the list every day,” says Travis Hooker at Diamond H Dairy. “Having this technology allows us to more closely manage every little piece of each calf’s life.”

Merck states that SENSEHUB Dairy Youngstock is compatible with management systems involving nipple-fed calves housed in individual hutches from birth to weaning, and post-weaning calves housed in group pens from three to 12 months of age. Monitoring tags are attached as part of neonatal calf processing and begin generating actionable data within 27 hours.Dairy producers should consult with their veterinarians for guidance on disease diagnosis and protocols for intervention. For more information about SENSEHUB Dairy Youngstock, visit SENSEHUB-Dairy.com .

For more on Smart Farming, read:

"Boring" Technology Will Reshape Dairy Over the Next 10 Years

Tue, 26 Mar 2024 17:18:21 GMT

Do you remember the last time a technology excited you? Excited you so much you gaped your mouth in astonishment? For me, this happened when I first drove a car with adaptive cruise control, typed a question into Chat GPT, and streamed a movie on my TV. However, as time wore on, these all became common day experiences. This is the curse of technology. It becomes boring very quickly. Is this bad? In my eyes, boring technology is good technology. Once a technology becomes a boring experience it means it has become proven, well-adopted, and easy to utilize. As I see it, there are three boring technologies silently shaping the industry – sort gates, forage harvesters, and mechanical ventilation.

Sort Gates

Sort gates are not new, not sexy, and not exciting. However, there are very few new dairies built without sort gates as part of the cattle management system. Sort gates have the amazing capability to bring cows to you. Sort gates bring cows to the herd manager versus the herd manager finding the cows. With this, a single herd manager can exponentially increase his productivity with less time walking finding cows, and more time treating, breeding, or checking cows. Sort gates have become far more efficient and dependable and have allowed for the scalability of cow management.

Forage Harvesters

Self-propelled forage harvesters are not new, not sexy, and not exciting. Well, maybe a little sexy. As a nutritionist, it is my job to annoyingly remind my clients of the importance and impact of forage quality. In the pursuit of high-quality forage, nothing has been as impactful as large, self-propelled choppers. With forage, timing is everything. Big choppers have increased the capacity and speed at which we can execute forage harvesting. This allows us to sneak between rain windows, catch drying corn silage, and build and seal forage piles quickly. Dairies would not be nearly as productive, healthy, or large without these machines.

Ventilation

Mechanical ventilation is not new, not sexy, and not exciting. By mechanical ventilation, I am referring to cross-ventilated or tunnel-ventilated dairy barns. Anywhere you go around the world, these structures are popping up. Once just thought to be a tool for cow cooling or air quality, mechanical ventilation has changed the way we build and manage dairies. Mechanical ventilation has assisted in cow cooling and comfort in many climates. These ventilation systems allow for barns to become larger and concentrate cows closer to parlors. This, in turn, has allowed for easier cow movements, lower construction costs, and improved cow performance.

As we look forward to the next 10 years in the dairy industry, it is not the new, sexy, and exciting technology that will reshape how we do things. It will be the old, ugly, boring technology that allows us to work more efficiently, increase our cow performance, and scale our businesses.

For more on Smart Farming, read:

Facial Recognition Technology Meets the Cattle Industry

Thu, 14 Mar 2024 21:48:40 GMT

Farm Journal’s Smart Farming Week is an annual week-long emphasis on innovation in agriculture. The goal is to encourage you to explore and prioritize the technology, tools and practices that will help you farm smarter. Innovation today ensures an efficient, productive and sustainable tomorrow.If you’ve flown internationally recently, you may have had a first-hand experience with facial recognition software.

Now that technology has found its way to the dairy parlor and the feedyard, according to a Texas-based start-up company called 406 Bovine . The company employs artificial intelligence and machine learning using an application programming interface (API) to identify and create a database of individual animals that then can be recalled using facial identification.

Company founder Bryan Elliott conceived the idea when he was working as a ranch manager in Montana. He was frustrated with the loss of premiums when cattle lost their RFID tags, and wanted to come up with a more permanent, reliable way to identify animals and document their histories.

He said every animal has unique facial characteristics such as hair swirls, nose shape, and eye location. The 406 Bovine system requires a 3- to 5-second video of an animal’s head, which is then downloaded into a private database via a smartphone app. Then when a manager wants to investigate an animal for any reason, a simple cell phone picture can cross-reference the animal in the database, along with its detailed management information.

The 406 Bovine founder stressed that the system is designed to integrate with existing cattle management software systems, not replace them. Depending on the software system in use, an animal’s profile can include a vast array of management data, including vaccination records, breeding information, pen moves, and antibiotic treatment history.

The system is reliant on cell phone technology, using a fusion of cameras and depth sensors on smartphones. Once the database is downloaded, there is no need for Wi-Fi service to operate 406 Bovine. And because the system can utilize matching images taken up to 50 feet away, animals can be identified and investigated with minimal human disruption.

406 Bovine developers say their vision for the company is “to put the best technology possible into the hands of every livestock producer.”

For more on dairy technology, read:

VES-Artex Unveils New Cow Cooling Technology: Intelligent Soaker 2.0

Thu, 14 Mar 2024 21:43:10 GMT

While the weather has certainly been mild this winter, thermometers will soon begin to boil as summer temperatures make their way across the country. With the warmer temperatures comes the increased risk of heat stress, which can contribute to a wide array of health and production setbacks for dairy cattle.

To combat this, VES-Artex has recently unveiled a new soaking system, Intelligent Soaker 2.0, which is designed to help alleviate heat stress while significantly reducing water usage on dairy farms. The system utilizes intelligent sensor technology to spray water when a cow is present based on temperature setpoints.

VES-Artex says that key features of the Intelligent Soaker 2.0 include easy installation, compatibility with existing systems and durable stainless-steel nozzles. In addition, the system’s cow-friendly LED light indicator simplifies monitoring, signaling when units are active and when they are in dwell mode.

The Intelligent Soaker 2.0 behaves similarly to a traditional soaker with both on and off intervals. Upon sensing a cow, the unit will begin soaking for 45 seconds, then it will enter a dwell mode where it won’t soak, even if a new cow comes within its range for 5 minutes.

“The Intelligent Soaker 2.0 addresses the dual challenge of animal welfare and sustainability,” says Dr. Mario Mondaca, Senior Technical Applications and Research Engineer at VES-Artex. “By minimizing water waste, farms can achieve a more sustainable operation while providing much needed heat abatement for the herd.”

According to the company, the new technology can help reduce water usage by 50%-70% when compared to traditional soaking systems. Unlike conventional soakers that operate continuously even after temperature thresholds are met, the Intelligent Soaker 2.0 optimizes water usage by delivering targeted cooling precisely when and where it’s needed.

“If you look at how the cow spends her day, she is feeding and in the alleys around 28% of the time,” Dr. Mondaca says. “This is why we are seeing reductions close to 70% on some days when compared to a system running all day long on a timer.”

With water conservation becoming a key focus for many dairy producers, the high-tech soaking system could be a compelling solution to conserve water and increase sustainability all while maximizing cow cooling.

For more on Smart Farming, read:

Wearable Technology is Not Just for People

Tue, 12 Mar 2024 03:12:01 GMT

Something wasn’t right. Milk was down. Feed intake plummeted. Standing time increased. The cows stood at the bunk looking listless, yet they refused to eat, sometimes for days at a time. Activity systems across the board were showing a rapid drop in rumination.

These were the conditions that we and our partnering consultants experienced at several of our client’s farms for the last month and a half.

Something was critically wrong.

But what was causing it?
Why were several herds down thousands of lbs of milk?

We’ve come a long way from the days of, “Help, I’ve fallen and can’t get up” commercials.

From the NBA to Michael Phelps to your local PTA director everyone wants the latest wearable. No longer a simple button, the term “wearables” refers to any device we can sport, from patches to smart watches that can be attached to our bodies to monitor and manage our performance.

Becoming More Precise

As wearables have grown in popularity, the science has evolved as well. By integrating complex biosensors into our lives, we are now capable of knowing more about our bodies than ever!

The beauty of this is that our dairy researchers are catching up and integrating these innovations into our industry. Building their own unique dairy versions of these technologies.

The biosensors housed within these dairy specific wearable devices allow us to continually monitor a range of biometrics such as rumination, activity, bunk time, water intake, rest time, temperature, gps location in the pen, and even stress hormone levels. We are just beginning to see the application of these devices in the dairy industry.

For example, research at Cornell by McArt and Seely has suggested that rumination could be used as a substitute for much more expensive and invasive blood testing. This would allow for accurate, economic detection of subclinical milk fever. Yielding more targeted treatment and preventing secondary transition cow diseases such as ketosis, metritis, or DA’s as well as decreased milk production.

Diving Deeper into Herd Health

For the first time in history, we have the ability to intervene upon disease not just at a sub-clinical (before observation is possible) level but at the very moment of it’s inciting event.

This was what they hoped to do in this presenting case by IDing the very inciting event that had derailed these dairies.

By this point they had eliminated all the usual suspects, mycotoxins, starch levels, fiber digestibility etc. They were convinced it was a palatability issue. But what product could the culprit be? With such complex rations, highly variable protein and mineral mixes how would the team ever be able to know they picked the right product?

To aid this analysis the team of highly qualified veterinarians and nutrition professionals would have to trust these wearables. They would have to trust those “earrings and necklaces” to tell us when they were on the right track.

So, they did just that. Product by product the ration was adjusted to eliminate potential causes. After the change, they waited with bated breath and watched intakes, feeding time and rumination rates almost hourly. Hoping for that bump that suggested they had found the offender.

It was not a quick or flawless process. It was filled with frustration by owners and consultants alike. More than one hard conversation was had.

Several weeks after the inciting event, after three or four iterations of product removals, the source was found. Suddenly, intakes went up, rumination jumped almost 20%, and slowly the milk came back as well.

All this was aided by a wearable “necklace or earring” placed on a cow. The ability to ID the smallest ingredient, the smallest inciting change, and intervene, hopefully, before it becomes a bigger issue. That’s the power of biometrics. That’s the future of our industry.

For more on Smart Farming, read:

How to Measure Pasture-Feed Intake for Cattle

Mon, 11 Mar 2024 21:28:19 GMT

The beef industry has been focused on measuring economically relevant traits for decades. However, some of these traits are harder to measure than others. One of these traits includes pasture-based forage intake on an individual animal basis. With feed costs being one of the highest inputs cattle producers have each year and forage being a limiting resource, the ability to measure this trait is more important than ever before. Cattle producers can now measure forage intake on a per-head basis in their pastures with the implementation of Ceres Tag devices.

David Smith, Dr. Troy Rowan and Barbara Jackson share valuable insights about how Ceres Tag devices measure pasture feed intake and how it can be applied in real-world settings during Season 7, Episode 10 of the Casual Cattle Conversations podcast.

Traditional methods of teaching forage management and utilization have largely been based on assuming that what cattle consume is based on their weight and excludes the genetic component. When calculating stocking rates, the standard animal unit is the equivalent of a 1,000-pound animal. Research and new technology challenge this methodology to make it more accurate. “What Ceres Tag and having an algorithm that predicts that forage-based feed intake allows you to do is look at some of those cows that are outliers. They are either eating more or less than what we would expect based on their body weight. In our first trial, we put 10 Ceres Tag devices in a set of younger first calf heifers and monitored them over the course of 30 to 60 days.

“It was surprising to see some of the smaller heifers eating more than their contemporaries. A big 1400-pound heifer was our lowest consumer of forage based on the Ceres Tag algorithm. When it comes to doing genetics and measuring economically important phenotypes, the ability to pull out those outliers is at the core of making genetic progress,” said Rowan. This is especially important when considering the challenges ranchers face such as urbanization and grazing cattle on public lands. “In the West, we run on a lot of public lands and the government dictates how many animals we can graze on these lands. If we can have information that shows how much cattle are consuming and where they are grazing, it will impact how we are able to manage our resources for the better,” said Jackson. Having the ability to measure pasture-forage intake as an input cost is a game changer for cattlemen and women who are continually focused on improving their bottom line.

Ceres Tag devices are a technology that is placed in the ear of an animal. It has a multitude of features, but the Pasture Feed Intake feature is one of the most exciting. Over many years, different algorithms have been developed to make this feature possible. “The Pasture Feed Intake algorithm specifically was developed over a 15-year period by CSIRO in Australia. The algorithm considers walking, eating, resting, drinking, and most importantly, ruminating. And it uses those parameters to do the calculations. It’s not just one algorithm, it’s a suite of eight different algorithms considering multiple factors. It wasn’t developed overnight, and it was also matched up with other techniques to measure feed intake to turn it into a plug-and-play system that is easily applied in commercial settings,” said Smith. There is also a GPS feature that allows livestock owners to see where their cattle are located and how they move throughout pastures. Ceres Tag devices are reusable and designed to be easy to use.

Ceres Tag devices are being deployed across the world in both research and real-world settings across livestock species and wildlife. “The Australian Brahma Breeders Association are developing pasture-based EBVs on this information for feed efficiency on pasture. Other breeds are looking to go down this line as well,” said Smith. The ability to measure pasture-based forage intake has created opportunities for cattle producers to calculate more accurate break evens too. “I think the utility of this technology is a better accounting of which cows are pulling their weight, and which ones are maybe a little bit more of a forage sink for you. It’s hard to say if the cow who weans off a heavy calf every year is a net positive for us if we don’t know how much feed she is consuming,” said Rowan.

From making genetic improvements to improving grazing management and most importantly keeping a business mindset about grazing cattle; the future is bright with this technology being available to cattle producers.

Listen to the full podcast: https://www.casualcattleconversations.com/casual-cattle-conversations-podcast-shownotes/oe6u9ys1zbegd46r9a75venjjvcqla

Facility Focus: 4 Tips to Manage Ventilation During the Off-Season

Fri, 08 Mar 2024 21:32:27 GMT

It’s no secret - winter weather can be a bear to deal with. The extreme temperature swings and harsh wind chills tack on extra work dairy farmers just don’t have time for. Couple that with the possibility of heavy snow and you’ve got the recipe for a massive headache.

Keeping cows, calves and employees comfortable during the winter months can often feel like a balancing act. However, according to Mike Wolf, DVM and consulting veterinarian for VES-Artex, finding the right combination between keeping animals warm while also providing adequate air exchange is essential.

To help avoid the winter ventilation woes, Wolf says producers should focus on the following four areas for off-season ventilation success.

4 Focus Points

Even Fresh Air Distribution – Stale, stagnant air is a recipe for poor respiratory health. Therefore, it’s critical to provide adequate ventilation and effectively remove warm, humid, contaminated air from the building.

“We want to make sure that we are bringing fresh air in and that it’s being distributed evenly throughout the facility,” Wolf says.

Prevent Freezing – If you’ve ever had to scrape frozen alleyways, you know just how not-so-fun of a job it can be. Additionally, it can be uncomfortable and unsafe for both animals and employees to walk on. Wolf recommends keeping a keen eye on barn thermometers to ensure temperatures don’t drop below freezing.

“Watch areas in the barn where fresh air is coming in,” he adds. “Temperatures tend to drop in those spots and can freeze alleyways or stalls.”

Control Dew Points – Managing moisture levels is another key piece to keeping cows healthy and comfortable. According to Wolf, it’s important to keep dew points lower than the external ambient temperature to help prevent condensation.

“Controlling dew points and humidity levels helps prevent dampness and dripping within the barns,” he adds. “This dampness adds discomfort to cows as well as the people working with them.”

Even during subfreezing temperatures, low level air exchange must occur to help remove the moisture continuously produced by animals.

Maintain Air Quality – Without good air quality, cow health is bound to suffer. That’s why maintaining adequate air exchange is a necessity. As a rule of thumb, facilities should have a minimum of 4 to 8 air changes per hour to help lower respiratory disease risk.

“In terms of ammonia, we want less than 25 ppm for cows and 5 ppm for calves in our facilities no matter the time of year, but especially during winter,” Wolf adds. “This ensures the barn environment remains free from noxious gasses, promoting respiratory health and overall animal well-being.”

Bonus Tip - Conduct Fan Maintenance

Despite the bitter temperatures and blustery winds, the summer heat will soon be knocking on our doors. According to Wolf, winter is a good time to give ventilation equipment a detailed inspection and provide thorough cleaning.

“Take time to conduct fan maintenance such as inspecting motors, belts and tensioners and replace any damaged elements,” he says. “At minimum, fans should be cleaned at least twice a year.”