Nov. 25 2024 09:21 AM

The following is sponsored content provided by Merck SenseHub Dairy

Dairies are facing more challenges than ever before. Low milk prices, high interest rates, a skilled labor shortage, and more have put a premium on operating with peak efficiency.

Enter SenseHub® Dairy monitoring.

Producers across the country are happy to vouch for the advantages SenseHub Dairy monitoring (previously known as SCR Dairy) delivers. With powerful data and intuitive reports, they can manage cows on the individual level to increase reproductive, health, and labor efficiency and maximize profitability. See why they recommend SenseHub Dairy monitoring to anyone looking to boost their bottom line.

Boost repro rates with unmatched heat detection

A new pregnancy delivers up to $278 in average value for a producer1, while each day a cow remains open costs up to $61. To Prairie View Dairy producer James Hancock, the value of detecting more heats was readily apparent.

“The breeding alone paid for the entire system within a year,” Hancock said. “We went from breeding for four hours to breeding in an hour and a half. That’s a lot of time to cut down on having cows locked up. And the less time they’re locked up, the more milk you’re making.

“Our breeding completely turned around — it’s as good as I’ve ever seen.”

Identify sick cows sooner for improved herd health and well-being

Taking action before clinical signs appear? For Joe Osterkamp, the owner of Stonegate Farms, it’s made a massive difference.

“After we installed the activity collars, we were able to find cows that were starting to drop off and get sick a few days earlier than what we typically would find,” Osterkamp said. “It allowed our guys

to intervene before she got sicker and our production has increased because cows that were dropping off are at peak production levels now.”

Tony Louters, owner of T&C Louters Dairy, says SenseHub Dairy reports helped him solve a metritis issue that was plaguing his dairy for years.

“I was getting a high incidence of metritis in my fresh cows. I could never put my finger on what it was,” Louters said. “I put the SenseHub system on, and within the first three weeks of me getting good, strong data, I realized exactly what it was. It was a combination of me moving my cows from the dry pen and giving some shots and some vaccinations, but I was doing too much at one time and I was causing the cows to go off feed. So I did everything a week earlier, and literally overnight that problem went away.”

Less time finding cows means more time caring for them

There’s one tool on the dairy that producer Marty Burken can’t imagine life without — his SenseHub Dairy sorting gate.

“The sort gate does things that two or three people can’t do,” the Blue Hyll Dairy producer said. “It sorts out cows that are in heat, and not only in heat, but when they should be inseminated. We just pull the whole pen out and in 10 minutes we have all the cows we need. It makes it very, very simple.”

Osterkamp says it’s made a good team even better. Now his employees can spend time where they’re needed most.

“We have a very strong group of people, and it’s allowed them to work smarter, not harder,” Osterkamp said. “They care about the animals, and the sort gate allows them to do their job more efficiently.”

Establish long-term performance right from the beginning

As the leading dairy monitoring provider, SenseHub Dairy is the only system that can monitor dairy calves from birth, which helps get them on track for optimal performance as a heifer and cow. Earlier abnormal behavior detection leads to intervening with the right decision and action at the right time, which can further lead to better performance and genetic potential later in life.

With SenseHub Dairy Youngstock, Diamond H Dairy producer Travis Hooker found the exact tool he was looking for to elevate his replacement program.

“That’s the future of your herd,” Hooker said. “By treating calves earlier, we have a lot less calves that get treated and treated and never get better.”

For any producer looking for whole-dairy improvements, the answer is clear. SenseHub Dairy helps producers eliminate guesswork, optimize resources, keep cows comfortable and boost herd-wide productivity. Just ask any neighbor that’s installed SenseHub Dairy.

“It’s made me a better dairy producer,” Burken said. “There are endless possibilities with this system.”

To see how SenseHub Dairy fits with your operation, learn more at SenseHub-Dairy.com or talk with your Merck Animal Health rep.

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