With demand for dairy continuing to grow, farmers are under pressure to find ways to optimize the productivity of the herd. As milk quality determines how much revenue dairy farmers generate, they need a way to monitor and understand this variable so that they can quickly take preventative action to keep cows healthy. Until now, farmers have had to rely on sending milk samples to a laboratory for testing every couple of weeks. This approach is not only expensive, but it fails to give farmers the information they need while milking occurs at the farm.
Here at Labby, we have developed an optical sensing solution for real-time milk analysis. The technology allows farmers to quickly and easily detect issues with the milk quality, including mastitis, without leaving the farm. Mastitis is the most common disease in cattle across the globe and has significant financial repercussions for farmers. A staggering 25% of cows are infected each year, resulting in $32 billion in lost revenue. As such, mitigating the risks of a mastitis outbreak is a constant concern for dairy farmers. However, one of the challenges with managing the disease is that cows often show no visual symptoms in the early stages, so farmers have historically relied on guesswork to detect mastitis. This has resulted in antibiotics being overprescribed, which in turn drives down milk production.
The science
Our solution takes a data-driven approach to analyzing milk. The technology uses advanced mobile spectroscopy to determine milk composition and quality information, including fat, protein, and somatic cell count. The handheld device beams light onto a milk sample and the AI algorithm then interprets the data. In under 10 seconds, milk composition and quality insights are available, giving visibility into animal health and feed efficiency. Milk quality is a critical indicator of a cow's health and any dips can signal the presence of mastitis.
Farmers view the information via an app, allowing them, at a glance, to see if there are any indicators of disease or problems. If the results determine mastitis, they can quickly take steps to prevent the spread of the disease. This pinpoint accuracy allows farmers to focus treatment only on animals with symptoms. With Labby, farmers can quickly identify mastitis and effectively treat it, reducing the disease's economic impact. The ability to systematically identify sick cows reduces medical costs, the impact on milk production, and the risk of death.
Our commitment
Our goal is to help farmers tap into the power of data to drive decision making. We believe that data is a vital component in creating more efficient and sustainable farming. With our real-time milk analyzer, dairy farmers finally have the information exactly where, how, and when they need it, allowing them to optimize the health of the herd and milk quality.
We are excited to help shape the future of dairy farming and a handful of farms are already utilizing our solution. To learn more about Labby, watch our CEO and co-founder Julia Somerdin at the World Dairy Expo event discussing how we are helping to transform dairy farming by giving farmers the power of fast and precise mastitis detection.
