For Skyler Gericke, animal care is the foundation of a successful dairy operation. As manager of Triple G Dairy and partner in Legen-Dairy, he understands that healthy cows are essential to both productivity and profitability.

“Animal care is the most important thing on our dairy because if those animals aren’t cared for then we’re not getting the milk that we want.”

With a strong focus on herd performance, Skyler was constantly looking for ways to improve the identification and treatment of lame cows before problems became severe.

Searching for a Better Way to Detect Lameness

Like many progressive dairy producers, Skyler recognized that early detection is one of the most important factors in managing hoof health. This led him to explore Nedap SmartSight as a tool to support the dairy’s lameness management strategy.

“I got interested in the SmartSight technology because we were looking at better ways of finding those lame cows.” They had previously been trying a different camera detection system with limited results, and knew the power of artificial intelligence could be game changing if incorporated into the right system.

The implementation process was straightforward and fast, allowing the team to start benefiting from the technology almost immediately.

“They got installation done within a day or two. We were up and running within a week after everything kind of baselined.”

Once the system was operational, SmartSight quickly became part of the daily workflow.

“And now I don’t even have to think about it. I get the data. I get the numbers.”

Reliable Data You Can Trust

For any technology to become a critical management tool, it must provide accurate and dependable information. According to Skyler, this is where Nedap SmartSight truly stands out.

“The reliability of the data, it’s been a lot more accurate than the other programs out there.”

The confidence generated by the system’s insights has enabled the dairy to make better informed decisions and take action sooner when mobility issues arise.

More importantly, those insights are translating into measurable results.

“We’re actually seeing the results, the lowering of lameness and better locomotion on the dairy.”

The improvements have reinforced Skyler’s confidence in both the technology and the dairy’s overall approach to hoof health management.

An Unexpected Breakthrough

Several months after implementing SmartSight, Skyler noticed one of the most significant impacts of the system: a dramatic reduction in involuntary culling due to lameness.

“One of the biggest AHA moments I’ve gotten is, it’s been four months since we started this and the amount of involuntary culls that we’ve had on the herd has significantly dropped.”

Before SmartSight, the dairy regularly lost a substantial number of cows because mobility issues had progressed too far.

Improving Profitability Through Strategic Replacement Creation

The reduction in lameness-related culling has created benefits that extend far beyond animal welfare. By keeping more productive cows in the herd, Triple G Dairy has gained greater flexibility in its breeding and replacement strategies.

For Skyler Gericke, Nedap SmartSight has become much more than a monitoring tool. It is a trusted part of the dairy’s herd health strategy, delivering reliable insights, reducing lameness, lowering involuntary culling, and helping create a more profitable and sustainable operation.