Nedap’s growing insights suite cultivates dairy data
As dairy farms progress and change, so do their data and technology needs. Similarly, Nedap’s dairy data ecosystem is also expanding in depth and breadth.
As dairy farms progress and change, so do their data and technology needs. Similarly, Nedap’s dairy data ecosystem is also expanding in depth and breadth.
With the launch of the SmartSort sort gate, a highly requested modern and simplified twist on sort gate technology and the SmartTag Ear, a sleek new ear tag for dairy animal data collection, Nedap offers even more efficiencies for dairies.
These additions to the dairy insights suite mean greater labor and herd efficiencies on-farm. They also underscore our commitment to the development of reliable, accurate data to benefit cows and people.
“The way Nedap works fits with our business model,” says JJ Pagel, CEO, Pagel Family Businesses. “We have animals at eight different locations and move animals from site to site. With this system, we don’t lose our baseline data for each animal. We can move animals and keep all the information all the time. It works really, really well for our team.”
One new tool to help farms maximize data to improve animal handling and labor efficiency is the SmartSort sort gate. It features one recognition point with an unmatched degree of accuracy, few moving parts to reduce cow stress, low maintenance and high-capacity operation. Based on specific goals, you can decide which cows need to be separated or routed and the location to where they need to be sent.
At Pagel’s Ponderosa Dairy, Kewaunee, Wisconsin, about 4,000 cows pass through the SmartSort gate per shift. Thanks to this technology, the farm now sorts cows with nearly perfect compliance, which is essential for efficient health checks and breeding protocols.
Streamlining Dairy Operations with Nedap Technology at Pagel’s Ponderosa
“Having the sort gate helps us work with the cows we need without disrupting the rest of the herd. It just streamlines the whole system,” says Pagel’s Ponderosa Herd Manager Chris Szydel. “The rest of the herd can go back to their pens, eat, drink, walk around, lie down and be a cow. The system does a great job of identifying cows that need attention on a day-to-day basis.”
“If you’re not looking at new technology and new ways of keeping up with the industry, pretty soon you’re behind,” says Dave Styer, co-owner of Alfalawn Farm, Menomonie, Wisconsin. “With the SmartSort system, we’ve been able to reach much higher accuracy than with our previous system. One of the unique things about this system is that it’s a continuous flow sort gate. It doesn’t stop the cows like our previous sort gate, so our throughput is very good. We’re very happy with the SmartSort sort gate and supporting technology.”
Precision in Dairy Farming with Nedap SmartSort at Alfalawn Farm
“Our other sort gate wasn’t to our satisfaction, but the Nedap sort gate has been a great experience for us,” notes Deric Wolf, Alfalawn Farm herd manager. “We’ve seen results in overall cow comfort. The system has been a lot easier on the cows and on us.”
The SmartTag Ear captures insights on activity, reproduction, rumination and eating time. Its lightweight, streamlined design includes data storage for 24 hours and is removable for use on other animals. It is built on long-lasting, proven infrastructure used for other Nedap sensors to ensure data transmission reliability.
“To me, the ear tag is just easier to manage than systems we used to have,” says Sutton Rucks, owner of Milking R Dairy, Okeechobee, Florida. “It helps bring those cows to the forefront that need attention and get them back on track. We’re using everything in our toolbox we possibly can to keep our cows happy and healthy.”
Adds Garrett Rucks, the fourth generation of Milking R Dairy, “Our goal moving forward with the Nedap tag system is addressing issues before they become a bigger problem. We want to keep cows in our herd as long as we can. Longevity pays, reproduction pays, and everything ties together to be a profitable farm.”
Streamlining Dairy Operations with Nedap SmartTag Ear Technology at Milking R Dairy
These new tools are the latest evolution of Nedap’s data insights suite available to dairy farmers. This interconnected data grid means dairies can track, manage and act on information generated at multiple points around the farm – from cow activity to rumination data to milk production and much more.
With the NedapNow platform at the center of its actionable information ecosystem hub, data flows from hardware into data sensors that flow into the cloud for safekeeping and analysis.
The integrated insights suite enables users to accurately and efficiently:
The insights suite culminates in a comprehensive dairy management system, providing farms with the opportunity to improve the well-being of everyone on the farm, from families to cows.
“When we talk about technology, when we talk about sustainability, what are things we can do to make the world a better place for our family, our environment, our employees and our communities? At the end of the day we want a partner,” says Pagel. “Somebody who is going to partner with our dairy, our team to make us better. When we started talking to the folks at Nedap, it was apparent that this is what they do. This is their passion. Their goal is to continue to get better. Having close personal contact with that group of people was a very big deal for us.”
