Megan Schrupp, co-owner
Eden Valley, Minnesota, USA
At NexGen Dairy in Eden Valley, Minnesota, tradition meets innovation. Co-owner and veterinarian Megan Schrupp blends her deep agricultural roots with a passion for advancing animal care through technology. “Growing up on a dairy farm, watching my grandfather farm and my dad dairy farm… I was always interested in what more can we do, what new ideas are there,” Megan shares. Today, NexGen Dairy milks 1,000 Jersey and Jersey-cross cows, primarily for cheddar cheese production. But it’s not just about milk—it’s about doing things better every day.
To support their forward-thinking goals, Megan and the team recently implemented the Nedap cloud platform Nedap Now. The shift has brought greater flexibility and efficiency to herd management. “I think the flexibility within the platform is great. It allows it to tweak the platform to what our dairy needs, versus just the standard data reporting,” she explains. By customizing work lists and focusing on relevant metrics, the team is now empowered to make more informed daily decisions for both individual animals and the herd as a whole. “We can create work lists that we know that we use daily to manage our cows and make much better cow decisions.”
The integration of activity and rumination monitoring has been especially powerful for Megan, given her veterinary background. “Rumination is very important to me… the rumination allows us to be so much more proactive as far as cow health.” These insights provide early warning signs that help the team pivot quickly when nutritional or management changes are needed. “When we get rumination data, that allows the cow to give us information about how she’s feeling or how she’s doing.”
With breeding efficiency being another key focus, NexGen Dairy also relies on Nedap’s Heat Score system. “We utilize the Heat Score system each breeding. We really look to see what is the strength of heat that’s being reported for the cow. But we also look at when that heat is being reported,” Megan explains. By combining the intensity and timing of heat detection, the farm can better target insemination—leading to improved conception rates and smarter use of semen. “That allows us to really hone in on where that semen is best utilized and to really be a little bit more efficient in general.”
These technology-driven improvements are paying off. “We’re now finding the average lactation of our cow in the herd is increasing,” Megan says. The goal? “To milk old cows that are profitable and decrease the amount of replacements that we need.”
“We can create work lists that we know that we use daily to manage our cows and make much better cow decisions.”
For Megan, data only adds value if it’s accessible and actionable. That’s why she sees tremendous benefit in the integration between Nedap and their other systems like Valley Ag Software. “We really like that the data integrates into our platform… so all of our cowside data, some of our group data, all of that can integrate into one space,” she explains. Whether she’s in the vet room, at her desk, or checking her smartphone in the barn, Megan has the insights she needs—anytime, anywhere. “That for us is key to being able to use the data on a day-to-day basis.”
At the heart of NexGen Dairy’s success is a commitment to continual improvement, fueled by curiosity and care. “Some of those things to achieve or answer those questions—we need some technology. And so putting tech in to achieve new goals, answer new questions, while still doing what my grandfather and my dad did… that is where the fun is,” Megan says. With Nedap, NexGen Dairy is building a future that honors the past—while reaching new heights in productivity, sustainability, and cow well-being.
Want to discover how Nedap technology can support the future of your farm? NexGen Dairy proves it works. Find your local distributor here to introduce this technology to your farm!
Learn more about Nedap CowControl Get in touch with Alta Genetics
Two way connection between Nedap Now and VAS
Customizable work lists and work flows
Combining heat intensity and timing for better insights
Longer productive life and fewer replacements
