7 ways activity monitors can pay off in a herd

With today’s milk prices in several regions, investing in activity monitoring technology might seem like an unnecessary expense.

But, the reality is, activity monitoring can help dairy herds of all sizes maximize their labor and resources, a smart investment at any milk price.

“Maximizing resources is critical when margins are tight and activity monitors can do just that,” says Arnold Harbers, product specialist for Nedap Livestock Management.

“Activity monitors can observe and identify heats, unusual behavior and signs of disease, allowing you to reallocate labor resources elsewhere. An added bonus is that they show more than the human eye can see and never call in sick for work.”

Today’s activity monitoring technology offers you more control than ever before. At their fingertips, farmers can quickly identify sick cows, cows in heat or see the exact location of specific cows in the barn.

They can check cows and make decisions or take action, even when they’re away from the farm.

Seven ways activity monitoring can pay-off in a herd

1. Improved labor efficiency
Activity monitoring tracks how each cow is doing, what her heat status is and where her location is  24/7. Instead of spending time checking for heats and herd health or searching for cows, employees can spend time tackling management areas begging for more focus on the farm.

2. Accurate record-keeping and real-time decision making
Without data, you just have an opinion. Activity monitoring accurately records individual cow and group behaviour. It offers insight at any time and takes the guesswork out to make the best decisions.

If something is wrong, an alert is triggered. Immediate steps can be taken to correct the situation. No more waiting until morning or afternoon chores.

3. Reduced health issues and associated costs
State-of-the art systems like Nedap CowControl monitor eating, rumination and inactive behaviour. They can detect the signs of diseases like ketosis, subclinical mastitis and pneumonia a few days before their symptoms are visible to the human eye.

This allows you to save time and money by catching and treating a sick cow before she needs medical treatment, shows a drop in milk production or needs to be culled.

4. Improved conception rates
Dairy farms with well-managed activity monitoring systems see improved conception rates. Sensors identify cows in heat and their optimal breeding time more accurately, which ensures effective insemination with the highest chance of conception.

As a result, pregnancy rates and  calving intervals are optimised.

5. A more productive and sustainable herd
Due to improved fertility KPI’s, as mentioned above, dairy farmers can achieve more peak productive days per cow.

Early detection of health issues prevents unnecessary loss of milk production and extends your cow’s life span and number of lactations. This way, you get more out of your cows and more milk in the tank.

6. Improved cow comfort
Activity monitoring systems provide herd performance trends that show the impact of adjustments in housing, handling and nutrition. By doing so, they can positively influence cow comfort.

Also, sensors ensure that farmers know exactly which cows require special attention and, equally important, which ones don’t. A stress-free environment can be offered to them, without their routines being disturbed.

7. More time to enjoy life
Activity monitors are constantly watching over the herd, giving you the confidence to leave the farm and participate in things that are important to you and your family.

Leading international dairy farming companies, including genetics and milking equipment suppliers, partner with Nedap to include its technology in their systems.

Learn more about Nedap CowControl and find your distributor at http://nedap.com/cowcontrol.