A Dairy Focused on Continuous Improvement

At Grotegut Dairy in northeast Wisconsin, innovation is driven by a simple principle, finding solutions that deliver real results. For owner Eric Grotegut, technology must have a practical purpose and create measurable value for the farm.

“I always look for technology that works well and can help us.”

As a dairy operation managing 4,000 cows, Grotegut Dairy continuously evaluates opportunities to improve herd health and operational efficiency. While lameness had never been one of the farm’s biggest challenges, Eric recognized that it was an area where progress had plateaued.

“Lameness hasn’t been a big problem, but it’s one that we haven’t really improved on over the years.”

The Challenge of Finding Lame Cows Early

Like many dairy farms, Grotegut Dairy relied on visual observation and routine pen checks to identify cows showing signs of lameness. However, with thousands of animals to monitor, the process was time-consuming and often delayed intervention.

“Our old routine was inefficient, you know, you had to pretty much spend the whole day.”

Even with dedicated employees actively looking for mobility issues, ensuring that every cow was evaluated consistently remained difficult.

“Some days you’re only able to check three pens, so you might have a lag of a week before you find a lame cow.”

As a result, cows could go unnoticed for days or weeks before receiving attention, reducing the chances of a quick recovery.

“Even if everyone’s trying to find lameness, it’s still hard to find every cow in a timely manner.”

Why Early Detection Matters

For Eric, the value of identifying lameness quickly goes beyond simply finding affected animals. Early intervention has a direct impact on both animal health and productivity.

“If we are able to catch a lame cow as soon as possible, we can get her back up to production and we have a much better chance of her hoof healing properly.”

The earlier a problem is detected, the sooner treatment can begin, helping cows recover faster and reducing the risk of more serious hoof health issues.

A Reliable Technology Partner

Grotegut Dairy has always embraced technology when it delivers dependable results.

“We are always trying to find a better way. We enjoy technology as long as it works and doesn’t cause any headaches.”

That mindset made Nedap SmartSight a natural fit. By automatically monitoring cow mobility, the system provides objective and consistent insights while reducingworkload to the team.

According to Eric, one feature stands out above all others:

“The most valuable thing I’ve seen on the SmartSight is you’re checking every cow three times a day.”

Rather than relying on periodic visual inspections, SmartSight continuously evaluates cows as they move through the barn.

“Every time they walk past the reader, you have a score that you can trust.”

This level of consistency gives the team confidence that no cow is overlooked and that action can be taken before problems become severe.

The Next Step Toward Better Hoof Health

For dairies that have already implemented strong hoof health practices, Eric sees SmartSight as a powerful tool for taking the next step in lameness prevention.

“If you’re trying to improve lameness, this is one of the best ways.”

While footbaths, hoof trimming, and preventive care remain essential, SmartSight adds an extra layer of insight that helps farms identify issues earlier and manage them more effectively.

“It’s the next step to improve hoof health and lameness,” Eric says.

For Grotegut Dairy, Nedap SmartSight has transformed lameness detection from a labor-intensive process into a reliable, data-driven approach. Helping ensure healthier cows, faster interventions, and continued progress in herd performance.