HerdInsights is a multi-metric, cloud-based ‘Smart Collar’ for dairy cows which improves the efficiency of farm breeding programmes and reduces health care costs through early illness detection.
It is this ‘multi-metric’ approach to monitoring a cow’s oestrus activity, mounting and chin resting behaviour. By comparing these behaviours to the cows ‘normal’ that makes HerdInsights the proven market leader in animal health monitoring with a validated 96% heat detection rate* with over 90% accuracy. (Giessen University – Germany*)
There is 100% focus on each individual cow’s behaviour with her rumination, feeding and resting times being monitored 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. At any given time HerdInsights knows what the cow is doing, whether it be resting, ruminating or mounting another cow. This data is stored on the collar and downloaded to a gateway when the cow comes within its 1000m range. Farmers are then sent a text informing them whether a cow is in heat or sick, with the onset of oestrus being pinpointed, allowing for better timing of insemination and improved conception rates.
According to Padraig Lynch, Director of Product and Business Development “HerdInsights enables each on farm decision to be monitored, tracked and re-evaluated, on an ongoing basis. Leading to operational efficiencies, farm sustainability and profitability”.
Pre-breeding
Will Emmott invested in HerdInsights three years ago because he wanted to be more efficient in breeding and use better genetics in his herd. Plattwood Farm in Cheshire is operated by Will and his father and they are currently milking 150 Friesian cross cows with yields of approximately 8,500 litres. “A week or so before I start to breed I pull off my non-cycling and cystic cows from the list generated by HerdInsights and call in my vet. Between this and getting alerts for sick cows that have recently calved, most of my cows can and will be submitted in the first three weeks”.
Ease of use
William O’Brien, milking 250 cows in Ireland says “There isn’t really a learning curve associated with using HerdInsights. When a cow is in heat I receive a text and get her served; if I get a text saying she is sick I examine her.” He continued ‘The graphs are straight forward to interpret and everything is on my phone, so I can use it anytime and anywhere”.
By detecting all problematic cows pre-breeding; treating them early and combining this with a 96% heat detection rate and an increase in conception rates owing to better timing, customers are using better quality semen and in some cases using more sexed semen. William has now transformed from using no sexed semen to using it on half his herd. “With HerdInsights being as accurate as it is, I am confident in every heat and the timing of AI. With every alert I can see when the onset of oestrus was and to me, with this extra information, it made perfect sense to invest in better semen and sexed semen. This year with sexed semen I achieved a 50% conception rate”.
Heat detection
According to Jeff Morris who milks 400 Holstein cows in Idaho, USA “HerdInsights has yet to miss a heat and I am 100% reliant on it for my herd reproductive and health management – it’s an integral part of my farming business”. Jeff, who had a different electronic heat detection product previously, stated that he is “now picking up more heats than ever before. It creates the list of problematic cows for me before breeding and I am submitting more cows than ever”. Jeff breeds all year round and with HerdInsights he has reduced his calving interval by 16 days and has a cull rate of less than 10%.
Why HerdInsights?
Will Emmott: “It’s like having another set of eyes looking over your herd 24/7, without having to pay for another labour unit.”
Jeff Morris: “HerdInsights has surpassed my expectations and taken the hassle away from my breeding programme. There are not many investments a farmer can make that will save time and make money but this is definitely one.”
William OBrien: “I like the simplicity of it all and the results it has giving me with less effort. Prior to the system I had 16%-17% of my herd not in calf, that figure is now down to 5.5% my figures are moving from average rates 
to top herd figures.”
For more information, call Moletech on 01392 873265 or email [email protected]
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