Monitoring Cows And Dairy Management Information
Precision dairy management puts the focus on the monitoring individual cows’ status in order to maximize milk production through the use of sophisticated devices. Animals displaying extreme behavior patterns and/or extreme changes in their production levels are identified by the systems and the farmer is alerted for further treatment of the animal.
SCR’s precision herd management solutions provide several functionalities: activity monitoring, rumination monitoring, milk yield measurement and milk quality monitoring. These functional modules may operate on an individual stand alone configuration or as a part of the Data FlowT herd management package. SCR is proud to be the largest provider of animal monitoring tags and the largest provider of electronic milk meters in the world.
The SCR Smart-TagT product line monitors cow status utilizing sophisticated electronic tags. The Smart-TagT product line consists of H-TagsT and the HR-TagsT, neck mounted identification, activity and rumination monitoring tags.
The H-TagT served as the basic cow activity data collection device for the Heatime? and the Heatime?-for-PC heat detection systems and the Data FlowT herd management solutions. The H-TagT encases a three dimensional accelerometer and a microprocessor which quantify cow movements specifically correlated with heat.
The HR-TagT is similar to the H-TagT in the activity monitoring functionality while also housing a microphone which quantifies rumination time through a series of complex algorithms. Rumination provides an incredibly sensitive indication of cow wellbeing and a cow nutrition monitoring tool.
SCR’s MC200 milk yield measurement and milk quality monitoring solutions are based on a proprietary Free FlowT technology, which measures milk yield, milk quality and milk flow rate. On its own the system provides milk flow-rate variable pulsation functionality, as a part of the Data FlowT herd management system it provides alerts and monitoring capabilities for efficient and mistake-free pit operation.
As previously stated, the Data FlowT herd management package incorporates the data collected by the Smart-TagsT and the MC200 milking points. Additional data may be collected from an optional walk-on scale. All data collected is analyzed to provide the farmer with alerts for exceptional cows (cows displaying heat, cows displaying signs of illness, potential nutrition problems and drop in milk production or quality among others). Data FlowT assists the farmer in the herd management decision making process, automates optional modules such as selection gates, individual concentrate feeders and controls and monitors the operation of the milking parlor for efficient and mistake free operation.
The use of precision dairy management technologies is only at its initial phases of market penetration. It is estimated that only a fraction of high-yield dairy farms in the world have some form of technology deployed. One reason for the minimal penetration is the inaccuracy of previous generations of precision herd management technologies. As newer technologies are introduced to the market, adoption rates are increasing rapidly.
We expect to see considerable growth in the use of herd management technologies as farmers learn of the benefits they provide to their efficiency and bottom line.
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