Labby

Optica Entrepreneurs to Watch 2025 — Julia Somerdin

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 12:00:00 GMT

Optica OPN named Labby co-founder and CEO Julia Somerdin to its 2025 Entrepreneurs to Watch list, recognizing her work applying optical intelligence to dairy herd health.

Read the full story on Optica OPN →

Animal AgTech Innovation Summit 2025

Sat, 15 Mar 2025 12:00:00 GMT

Labby presented at the Animal AgTech Innovation Summit 2025, joining global leaders in livestock health and sustainability to share how real-time milk intelligence is changing herd management.

Every Drop Counts

Tue, 05 Nov 2024 17:50:00 GMT

3 Powerful Insights Milk Yield Data Offers for your Dairy Farm

Milk yield is more than just a measure of production—it's a powerful indicator of herd health and farm efficiency. Each drop of milk a cow produces tells a story, revealing insights about her well-being and the farm's overall management. For dairy farmers, tracking milk yield is key to maintaining a productive herd, detecting potential health issues early, and optimizing operations for peak performance.

Why Is Tracking Milk Yield So Important?

Health Monitoring and Early Disease Detection: Monitoring milk yield helps farmers detect changes that may indicate health issues such as mastitis, one of the most costly diseases for dairy cows. A sudden decline in milk production can serve as an early warning, allowing farmers to take swift action and manage health problems before they escalate.
Optimizing Cow Nutrition: Milk yield data plays a crucial role in adjusting cow rations to promote optimal milk production. By analyzing production patterns, farmers can tailor feeding regimens to meet the nutritional needs of their herd, resulting in healthier cows and increased milk yields.
Long-term Genetic Potential: Monitoring milk yield over time helps identify cows with superior genetics for milk production. This information can guide selective breeding programs aimed at improving overall herd productivity and efficiency.

How Labby Can Help Improve Milk Yield Monitoring

Labby offers cutting-edge solutions that simplify the tracking of milk yield, providing accurate, non-invasive, and real-time data. Here’s how Labby can help:

Non-Invasive Monitoring: Labby’s milk meter is completely non-invasive, as it does not need to come into contact with the milk itself. This reduces any risk of contamination while delivering consistent and reliable data.
Instant Milk Yield Data After Every Milking: Labby provides real-time data immediately after each milking session, giving farmers a clear view of each cow’s milk yield. This enables timely interventions if necessary and allows farmers to maintain efficient herd management.
Integration with Herd Management Systems: Labby’s solutions integrate seamlessly with our herd management systems, Milkey, making it easy for farmers to monitor milk yield alongside other essential herd data, like SCC, butter fat and protein data provided by our Inline Milk Analyzer. This full integration supports comprehensive management, helping farmers make data-driven decisions that optimize production and animal health.

Labby’s technology helps dairy farmers accurately and efficiently track milk yield, making it easier to keep cows healthy, maximize milk production, and maintain a sustainable dairy operation.
Click here to learn more about Labby.

Is Your Herd at Risk of Chronic Mastitis?

Wed, 16 Oct 2024 16:00:00 GMT

Discover How Labby Helps Detect and Prevent Mastitis Early

Chronic mastitis is a persistent inflammation of the udder in dairy cows, typically caused by an ongoing infection. While mastitis is commonly known for its clinical forms, where the signs are visible and treatable, chronic mastitis often remains subclinical, meaning it presents no obvious symptoms. Despite being less visible, chronic mastitis can significantly affect milk production and the overall health of the herd.

Although most losses in dairy production due to mastitis are linked to clinical cases, chronic mastitis can also be highly problematic. Subclinical chronic mastitis leads to ongoing milk production losses and increases the risk of pathogen transmission across the herd. Early detection of chronic mastitis is crucial, as it allows farmers to intervene before the infection spreads or worsens, minimizing long-term damage and associated costs.

Detecting chronic mastitis early is key to managing its impact. One of the primary indicators of mastitis is the Somatic Cell Count (SCC), which measures the number of somatic cells present in milk. A high SCC (typically above 200,000 SCC/ml) signals that the cow may be suffering from subclinical mastitis.

The sensor-based technologies like Labby can help monitor mastitis indicators such as SCC and the presence of blood in milk. Data collected from multiple milkings allows for better prediction of whether a cow’s subclinical mastitis is likely to become chronic. With the use of machine learning models and sensor data from farms across Europe and North America, studies have shown that it’s possible to predict chronic mastitis with high accuracy.

The treatment of chronic mastitis typically involves separating the affected cow from the herd, adjusting feed, and applying specific therapies like antibiotics or dry cow therapy. Early detection of chronic cases allows farmers to avoid more severe outcomes, such as culling.

Labby’s advanced milk testing technology can play a pivotal role in detecting chronic mastitis early. Our system offers real-time Somatic Cell Count (SCC) testing, providing farmers with instant data on milk quality. By continuously monitoring SCC levels, Labby helps farmers catch early warning signs of subclinical mastitis before it becomes chronic.

In addition to SCC, Labby’s inline milk analyzers track other key health indicators like milk yield and fat/protein content. The integration of AI-powered reports enables farmers to spot trends in milk quality, allowing them to act swiftly in preventing chronic mastitis. Our technology empowers farmers with the data they need to protect their herds and optimize milk production.

Labby’s solution supports early intervention, providing a reliable and accurate tool to manage mastitis, improve animal welfare, and enhance productivity on the farm.

Click here to learn more.

Work Citied:

Bonestroo, J., van der Voort, M., Hogeveen, H., Emanuelson, U., Klaas, I. C., & Fall, N. (2022). Forecasting chronic mastitis using automatic milking system sensor data and gradient-boosting classifiers. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, 200, 107266. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168169922003192

Maximize Your Herd’s Milk Production

Wed, 25 Sep 2024 16:00:00 GMT

Boost Feed Efficiency with Real-Time Milk Testing

In today’s market, dairy farmers are continuously seeking ways to maximize their herd’s performance. A key aspect of farm management is ensuring that cows efficiently convert the nutrients in their feed into milk and its valuable components, such as fat and protein. This need becomes even more critical when milk component prices are high, as improving feed efficiency (FE) leads directly to greater profits.

Feed Efficiency (FE) measures how effectively a cow transforms the feed she consumes into milk and milk components. Improving FE leads to higher milk yields, lower feed costs, and better overall herd health. Cows with higher FE utilize nutrition more effectively, which translates to increased milk production and higher profits.

To calculate FE, the dairy industry commonly uses the Energy-Corrected Milk (ECM) formula. ECM standardizes milk production by adjusting for variations in fat, protein, and other milk components. The formula requires accurate measurements of both milk yield and milk composition, particularly fat and protein levels. Feed efficiency is then determined by comparing the total feed consumed with the amount of ECM produced. This approach provides a comprehensive view of how efficiently cows are converting feed into marketable milk components.

Accurate and timely milk component data is critical for measuring ECM and improving feed efficiency. Delaying necessary adjustments to feed can result in missed opportunities to optimize cow health and productivity.

Labby addresses this challenge with instant, cow-side milk components by testing the milk from every cows automatically during each milking. Labby’s advanced milk testing technology provides real-time data on milk fat and protein, allowing farmers to instantly measure ECM and make adjustments to feed ratios. This ensures cows convert feed into milk as efficiently as possible. With timely data access, farmers can manage feed costs, boost milk production, and maintain peak efficiency in their herds.

By integrating Labby’s milk analyzer into their operations, dairy farmers gain a powerful tool to enhance feed efficiency and overall farm profitability.

To learn more about Labby, please click here .

Works Cited:

Hubbard Feeds - Dairy Efficiency Numbers

Ag Proud - Component Efficiency: The Secret to the Most Successful Herds

Selective Dry Cow Therapy

Fri, 09 Aug 2024 21:04:00 GMT

3 Tips to Help Farmers Reduce Antibiotic Usage Through SDCT

Antibiotics are fundamental to modern medicine and are used in farm animals to treat infections, similar to human medicine. However, their overuse, particularly in the U.S. where over 70 percent of antibiotics are administered to livestock such as cattle, has raised significant concerns. Often given as a preventative measure rather than strictly for treatment, this practice contributes to antibiotic resistance in livestock. This resistance poses health risks to humans, as consuming meat or milk from these animals can transfer antibiotic-resistant bacteria, potentially affecting human health.

Many dairy farms are adopting selective dry cow therapy (SDCT) to reduce broad-spectrum antibiotic use, treating only cows with confirmed intramammary infections. Traditionally, antibiotics were given to all cows at dry-off, regardless of infection status. In 2022, the European Union (EU) banned blanket dry cow therapy and adopted SDCT to minimize antibiotic use. A 2021 systematic review and meta-analysis showed that SDCT could reduce antibiotic use at dry-off by 66% .

Although selective dry cow therapy (SDCT) appears to be a promising alternative, it requires significant patience and commitment. One major challenge is finding an effective method to identify cows with subclinical infections. On many farms, the California Mastitis Test (CMT) is the standard procedure for detecting mammary infections. While CMT is useful for identifying clinical cases, it may not be the most accurate tool for detecting subclinical infections. Studies, such as those by Middleton et al. (2004), have shown that CMT has only a 70% sensitivity rate . This means that some cows may be misdiagnosed, potentially impacting the success of the SDCT program.
This is where Labby can assist farmers in implementing the SDCT program and further reduce antibiotic usage:

Provides instant , onsite somatic cell count (SCC) measurements with lab-level accuracy, enabling farmers to detect both clinical and subclinical mastitis.

Offers direct SCC ratings and mastitis risk scores for each cow, assessing mastitis incidence rates at both the individual and herd levels. Labby not only delivers numbers but also actionable data insights. For instance, farmers can receive real-time alerts for cows at high risk of mastitis, facilitating early intervention and precise treatment.
Delivers real-time SCC results in just 10 seconds and offers historical, trackable SCC data . This allows farmers to create a comprehensive database for each cow, monitor SCC trends in the herd, and reduce the risk of chronic mastitis.

With Labby’s support, the prudent use of antibiotics can shorten treatment duration, reduce labor and antibiotic costs, and decrease the likelihood of pathogen resistance. This can help minimize the economic impact of mastitis on your dairy operation.
To learn more about Labby, please click here .

Works cited: Lago, A., Godden, S. M., Bey, R., Ruegg, P. L., & Leslie, K. (2011). The selective treatment of clinical mastitis based on on-farm culture results: I. Effects on antibiotic use, milk withholding time, and short-term clinical and bacteriological outcomes. Journal of Dairy Science, 94(9), 4441-4456.

Behind The Bench Staff. (2023, July 17). Mastitis is the #1 reason dairy cows are treated with antibiotics . Thermo Fisher.
National Geographic Society. (2023, October 19). Antibiotic resistance is beefing up . In T. Brown (Director), G. Borgia, J. Sullivan, S. Appleton, & M. Willis (Production Managers & Program Specialists), National Geographic Society.
Middleton, J. R., Hardin, D., Steevens, B., Randle, R., & Tyler, J. W. (2004). Use of somatic cell counts and California mastitis test results from individual quarter milk samples to detect subclinical intramammary infection in dairy cattle from a herd with a high bulk tank somatic cell count. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 224(3), 419-423. https://avmajournals.avma.org/view/journals/javma/224/3/javma.2004.224.419.xml

Demo Day at Boston Climate Tech Event

Fri, 26 Jul 2024 19:29:00 GMT

Labby at Climate Tech on the Plaza:

Revolutionizing Milk Testing for a Sustainable Future

Labby participated in the Climate Tech on the Plaza event hosted in Boston on July 24th. The event, organized by The City of Boston, Downtown Boston BID, NECEC, MassCEC, and Schneider Electric, celebrated and showcased Boston's thriving climate tech ecosystem, allowing attendees to experience innovative climate tech solutions firsthand.
Emerging from MIT, Labby continues to pursue sustainable farming solutions. Our optical milk testing analyzer can reduce the dairy industry’s carbon dioxide emissions by 423.6 million kg annually.
Milk testing is a significant source of carbon dioxide emissions in the dairy industry, primarily due to transportation, electricity usage, and milk waste. A substantial portion of carbon dioxide is emitted when transporting milk samples from dairy farms to labs. Considering transportation vehicle emissions, testing frequency, and average travel distances, approximately 299 million kg of carbon dioxide are emitted annually from transportation alone. Milk waste further contributes to emissions. According to Dairy.com , 1% to 5% of raw milk is wasted due to system failures and quality control rejects, resulting in about 123 million kg of carbon dioxide emissions per year. Additionally, the labs' 24-hour computing requirements for testing generate another 1.6 million kg of carbon dioxide annually.
Labby's milk testing analyzer is a game-changer. By providing onsite instant testing results, farmers can receive SCC, butter fat, protein, and MuN measurements within minutes, significantly reducing the time and effort spent on transportation, electricity usage, and milk waste compared to traditional methods. Moreover, Labby’s analyzers are reagent-free and do not contain disposable parts, further contributing to sustainable farming.
What does this mean for farmers? Firstly, it eliminates the weekly or monthly costs of sending milk samples to labs for testing, as instant, onsite results are now accessible. Secondly, farmers can make timely decisions based on real-time SCC, butter fat, protein, and MuN data, better managing their herd’s health. Additionally, by adopting Labby’s solution, farmers contribute to the sustainable development of the dairy industry. Reducing 423.6 million kg of carbon dioxide emissions per year equates to the carbon sequestration of 500,000 acres of forest. This reduction can mitigate climate change and improve overall human health. Moreover, sustainability influences consumer purchases. In a 2020 survey, 73% of Generation Z consumers expressed willingness to pay more for sustainably sourced products. Thus, taking social responsibility can lead to economic benefits and enhance your brand’s sustainable image.
To learn more about Labby, please click here .

Works Cited: Reducing Emissions to Lessen Climate Change Would Yield Dramatic Health Benefits by 2030 Couriers To Count On Young buyers want affordable sustainability

Luminate: MilKey earning national recognition

Sat, 15 Jun 2024 12:00:00 GMT

Luminate profiled Labby's MilKey platform and its growing national recognition for bringing lab-quality milk analysis to the cow side.

Read the full story on Luminate →

Farmers Know the Future

Thu, 13 Jul 2023 15:38:00 GMT

Farmers Know the Future

In the past few weeks since my last vlog, I have visited a few more states and talked to farmers from across the country about the technology that they use and the future of the dairy industry. While every farm operates differently the one thing that I have been able to conclude is that every farmer wants more data for each of their cows. More individualized data on the farm means that sick cows are treated faster, animals are grouped better to be given a more individualized diet, and fewer resources and time are wasted. Different groups of cattle can be identified all over the farm. Over the years these groups have continued to become more specific. Now instead of the lactating group cows are managed as a fresh group, high group, or low group. If the herd is big enough divisions can continue to occur separating by lactation as well as many other factors. All of this is to say that the more specific that we can make a group of cattle, the better the care. This is why individual cow data has become so valuable. Managers that I have talked to in the last few weeks are craving this data because it means that cows do not fall through the cracks. Even when specific groups are made there are always cows that have subclinical issues that are difficult to find. With no outward signs, you have to look into the cow to find these issues. This is where individual cow sensors come into play. They allow producers to generate real-time data that can predict disease before it becomes a bigger issue for the cow and can find subclinical disorders otherwise not visible to the outside eye. Metabolic disorders in fresh cows are a huge battle that the industry as a whole has to take on. Often these issues snowball into further problems down the road. Being able to have indicators like fat, protein, and SCC daily for individual cows allows you to keep up with your herd's rumen health, udder health, and energy balance. These three indicators can all be used to catch things like acidosis, ketosis, and mastitis before it becomes a bigger issue in the herd. Being able to monitor the linkage between milk production and the forages given to individual cows is critical to determine where cattle diets may be deficient or need adjustments. Seeing changes in fat and protein percentages and ratios can indicate that changes need to be made. SCC is the very well-known industry standard for mastitis detection. Being able to detect an increase in SCC on day one and get a sample to the lab faster is critical to make sure that mastitis does not create a lasting impact on that cow. In talking to farmers recently I have acknowledged a need for more individual cow data points to allow the herd manager to succeed with every cow and not the majority of the herd. Being able to pinpoint problem animals before a real issue arises is the future of the industry and where every producer has their eyes set. As always, happy healthy cows make the highest quality milk and, being able to predict disease is the first step in stopping it faster.

MA Farm Visits

Fri, 16 Jun 2023 19:46:00 GMT

Massachusetts Farm Visits

Thank you to Mapleline Farm, Cook Farm, and Fletcher Farm, all local dairy farms in MA, for allowing me to visit this week! I was able to talk to producers and gain valuable insight into what they struggle with on their farms and what products or on-farm tests would be valuable to them. In talking to Jessica Dizek from Mapleline Farm I learned all about their on-farm processing plant. She showed me how milk is harvested from the cows and bottled less than 100 feet away from where the cows are milked. This farm pays very close attention to their herd SCC and butterfat as they want to make sure that they are making the highest quality milk for their community. I know that I am biased, but I do have to say that they make my favorite chocolate milk in the state! Milk quality is their highest priority on the farm and because of this daily individual cow data for SCC would be incredibly helpful in finding sick animals and diverting them from the tank quickly. Butterfat readings are very helpful for a farm that processes its milk. By understanding their herd's fat percentages fully they can work more in-depth with their nutritionist to ensure that their cows are producing the most butterfat. Cook Farm was the smallest farm that I visited with some of the highest-producing holsteins in the state. It was amazing to see their humble farm, some parts of it dating back to the 1800’s, with such high-producing cows. It was a great reminder that all it takes is an attentive farm manager and healthy cows to make a lot of milk. When talking to Hank, the farm manager, I learned that he milks his cows twice a day every day and that he was very in tune with his animals. He could tell if one was off as soon as it walked into the barn. This sparked the conversation of whether Labby is the product for their farm. We talked about the uses of the product, and how larger farms are not able to keep track of their cows in the same way that he is. Or farms with more hired labor that are not milking the cows every day like him would find more value in these computers that he was very confident he could do the job of on his own. The last farm that I visited was Fletcher Family Farm. They milk a variety of breeds mostly holsteins and jerseys and have an accompanying farm stand that has a lot of seasonal products! This picturesque dairy is also family-run where they are milking about 75 cows. In talking to Nicole Fletcher, one of the farm managers, she told me about the farm's plans to include more technology in the future with the potential installation of a robotic milker. Currently, Fletcher Farm is milking in a flat barn parlor with a pipeline. This can make it challenging to install the in-line milk sampler which is why the handheld milk testing device was so intriguing for Nicole. Together we ran some samples from her cows since I was lucky enough to catch her at milking time! In talking with Nicole she was very excited about the possibility of individual quarter testing for SCC with the handheld device to see which is the infected quarter if the animal has subclinical mastitis. I had a great time visiting all of these farms this week and am grateful to have spent some time out of the city in some fresh air for a day! Farmers' input is the most important information that we can collect. These producers are hard at work every day and I am grateful that they were able to give up a few hours to chat with me so I could learn more about their operations.

Mastitis Maintenance in your Herd

Fri, 09 Jun 2023 13:10:00 GMT

M Mastitis Maintenance in your Herd
The only certainty when working on a dairy farm is that at some point you will be treating cows for mastitis. Mastitis is most commonly a bacterial infection of the mammary gland that can originate from the animal’s environment or can be spread from one infected cow to another. Clinical cases of mastitis or those which are detectable in the milk are often treated quickly. This is because of the change in milk composition to be off in color, consistency, or smell that makes them easier to detect. If this is a case of environmental mastitis the SCC of the animal will return to normal once the infection is cleared up. However, in the case of infectious mastitis, the animal is likely to have a chronically higher SCC even after the infection has been treated (de Haas et a., 2002). Being able to detect cows with an elevated SCC before they start showing signs means that they can be moved to the sick group before other cows are infected. Cows that have mastitis during different stages of their lactation are reported to have different amounts of milk loss. For cows with mastitis in the transition period, −335 ± 103.0 kg was reported to be lost which was similar to cows with mastitis in early lactation losing −419 ± 116.0 kg. These two metrics were only compared to healthy cows that reached 100 DIM due to their likelihood to get culled before the end of their lactation. More milk was lost when mastitis was contracted later in lactation with −506 kg for mid-lactation cows and −1,137 kg for late-lactation cows (Puerto et al., 2021). All this lost milk is not the only cost incurred by the farmer when there is a case of mastitis. One study found that a single case of clinical mastitis costs the farm $444 per cow when that mastitis occurred in the first 30 DIM (Rollins et al., 2015). This cost continues to grow if the animal takes longer to get bred due to the recovery process at $2.24 per day for every day the animal is left open after the Voluntary Waiting Period (VWP) (Puerto et al., 2021). Also if the cost to prevent mastitis is included that’s an additional $130 per cow per year. The majority of money calculated to be spent on mastitis prevention is training employees to be able to accurately detect mastitis. (van Soest et al., 2016). All of these costs can be reduced the earlier the case of mastitis is caught. Some cows show no visible signs of mastitis and can only be detected at the monthly individual cow milk test commonly done on farms. This is a case of subclinical mastitis. Subclinical mastitis is more often chronic because it is left untreated in most operations due to its undetectable nature. With daily SCC readings, even subclinical mastitis can be detected quickly. Being able to detect mastitis and treat it faster is imperative to making sure that chronically elevated SCC cows don’t develop on the farm. An increased SCC reduces the processors’ ability to make high-quality products like cheese. This is why some co-ops give farmers a premium for lower bulk tank SCC. By eliminating subclinical mastitis cows from entering your bulk tank the farm is more likely to be rewarded with the ballpark 20 cents per hundredweight bonus given to farms with a bulk tank SCC below 100,000. Making the highest quality milk from the healthiest cows is every dairy farmer's goal and being able to detect cows with mastitis faster is the first step in ensuring the health and quality of milk produced. Works Cited: de Haas, Y., Barkema, H. W., & Veerkamp, R. F. (2002). The effect of pathogen-specific clinical
mastitis on the lactation curve for somatic cell count. Journal of Dairy Science , 85 (5),
1314–1323. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.s0022-0302(02)74196-9 Puerto, M. A., Shepley, E., Cue, R. I., Warner, D., Dubuc, J., & Vasseur, E. (2021). The hidden cost of disease: I. Impact of the
first incidence of mastitis on production and economic indicators of Primiparous Dairy Cows. Journal of Dairy Science ,
104 (7), 7932–7943. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2020-19584 Rollin, E., Dhuyvetter, K. C., & Overton, M. W. (2015). The cost of clinical mastitis in the first 30 days of lactation: An
economic modeling tool. Preventive Veterinary Medicine , 122 (3), 257–264.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prevetmed.2015.11.006 van Soest, F. J. S., Santman-Berends, I. M. G. A., Lam, T. J. G. M., & Hogeveen, H. (2016). Failure and preventive costs of
mastitis on Dutch dairy farms. Journal of Dairy Science , 99 (10), 8365–8374. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2015-10561

Labby wins $250K Grow-NY competition

Thu, 10 Nov 2022 12:00:00 GMT

Labby won $250,000 at the Grow-NY food and agriculture startup competition, a catalyst for our expansion across the Finger Lakes dairy region.

High-technology milking has never been so easy

Tue, 16 Feb 2021 13:37:00 GMT

The milking robot can be considered as the showpiece of technology in dairy farming and revolutionised dairy farms since the 1990s. Today, it is impossible to imagine a dairy farm without any sort of technology, with sensors being the true game changers in this field.

In 1983, the first cow was milked by a milking robot under research conditions on a Dutch experimental farm. It took a few years, but in 1992 the first automatic milking systems (AMS) were commercially installed in the Netherlands. In 1999, the first AMS was installed in North America on a Canadian farm. Today, more than 25,000 farms are using AMS, with the greatest adoption of this technology being in Denmark, Sweden, Iceland, and the Netherlands.

The robotic era The primary goal of AMS was - and still is - replacing manual labor and higher milk yields, as the milking robots allow some cows to enter as many as three to five times a day instead of milked twice in a conventional parlour. Automatic milking systems have the potential to increase milk production by up to 12%. Despite the potential, the first years of robotic milking were full of teething problems (failure of software and hardware components). This isn’t surprising. This technology was new for the supplier, the dairy farmer and the animals and they needed time to get used to it. Despite being a great innovation, each AMS is able to milk ‘only’ around 50-60 cows per day. This is perfect for medium sized European or Canadian farms. But the average number of dairy cows per farm has continuously increased over recent decades in all developed countries. A quick calculation tells us that a US dairy farm of 3,000 dairy cows would need 50-60 robots. You can imagine the high investment costs and necessary housing changes. Not all technologies are a perfect fit for all types and sizes of farms.

Nevertheless, AMS adoption on dairy farms around the world is still growing and the robots are getting more advanced and better connected with other (data) systems on the farm. Some of the AMS manufacturers and early innovators also added other types of robots to their product portfolio. Farmers can now buy robots that feed the cow and calves, sweep up feed and even scrape the manure up. Due to implementation of robotics, as well as innovation in housing systems and barn designs, animal nutrition, calf rearing, artificial insemination and the use of genetically superior breeds, dairy farms have made large scale jumps since the 1990s.
Revolutionize dairy farming once more If we look at the more recent technological innovations in dairy farming, we don’t see a lot of new big machines or robotics. Instead, we see a range of technological solutions that are focused on gathering and analyzing farm and animal data in an easy and quick way to help farmers make better decisions. Interestingly, some of these new solutions also use artificial intelligence (AI) modelling and machine learning. The application of AI has already been quite fruitful in several industries such as technology, banking , marketing, and entertainment . But the application in agriculture and dairy is only at the beginning. These new types of technologies are ready to revolutionise dairy farming once more, just like robotic milking did 30 years ago. But what do these new technologies fuelled by AI do? And how can it help farmers produce high quality milk from healthy cows?

AI-fuelled milk quality There are already a few exciting AI-driven solutions available for farmers. Some of them are sensor or computer vision technologies that capture cow data and use AI models to learn from and interpret the data. The application of AI makes it possible to improve the technology every day and to make it tailor-made for each unique farm. AI has also made its way to milk testing and it is now possible to apply AI-enabled optical sensing for raw milk testing on the farm. Labby uses advanced mobile spectroscopy to determine milk composition and quality information, including milk fat, protein and somatic cell count (SCC). The AI cloud platform then translates this raw optical data into meaningful insight on both the individual and herd levels. Low bacterial counts and low SCC are the key indicators of milk quality, and as their numbers increase, there is a higher risk for contamination of milk and cheese with pathogens. Mastitis increases the SCC of the milk and thereby reduces revenue generated from milk sales. Mastitis is also a painful condition and should be prevented to maintain animal health and welfare. By tracking the SCC in real-time for each individual cow, farmers can detect mastitis immediately and manage the disease with minimal impact on the milk yield.

Sensors are part of new way of milking The milking robot was introduced to make the milking process more efficient and productive. It used to be a stand-alone system as robot suppliers wanted to keep the data to themselves. But over the years most robots have been made compatible with many other technologies and sensors, and data flows between systems are being promoted, which is a very good development. Integrating AMS technology with other systems and sensor technology helps improve the health and welfare status of the cows and enables farmers to act quicker and make better, more informed decisions. Also, Labby’s inline sensing milk analyzer can be seamlessly integrated with most robotic milking and parlor style farms.

Ever since the first cows were milked robotically almost 30 years ago a lot has changed for dairy farmers. At the same time, we also see that the challenges of dairy farmers haven't changed that much over the years. Mastitis, milk quality, volatile milk prices and labor issues have been around for years and will remain challenges in the future. The biggest change is that we have new, faster, cheaper technologies to deal with them. Sensor technology in combination with AI is shaping the way we manage and milk our cows and is revolutionizing dairy farming once more.

To learn more about how Labby’s automated milk testing solution is helping dairy farmers, sign up for a demo here .

Labby’s AI-enabled Optical Sensing Technology Secures USD $480,000 Seed Investment

Wed, 18 Nov 2020 14:23:00 GMT

Labby Inc , an early-stage startup specializing in AI-enabled optical sensing solutions for raw milk testing, today announced it has raised $480,000 in seed funding. AgriTech Capital , a strategy and investment firm specializing in innovation and technology in the agribusiness sector. The global dairy farming industry loses $32 billion annually due to mastitis infections. At a minimum, twenty-five percent of cows each year are impacted regardless of how well managed a farm is. Farmers lack a way to quickly and easily identify mastitis at an early stage so they can take preventative measures to reduce the impact on yields. With Labby’s solution, farmers and dairy processors finally have a way to quickly and easily test raw milk gaining visibility into animal health, milk quality, and feed efficiency, enabling them to optimize their operations. This is the first seed round for the company and the financing will help with the development of Labby’s products, including the next generation of its handheld solution and in-line sensing integration unit. A handful of dairy farms in North America will start piloting the technology before the end of the year. In addition, Labby will use the funds to build out its operations and expand the team.
Labby participated in the Techstars Lisbon Accelerator in 2020 and Dairy Farmers of America innovation program in 2019 and was a MassChallenge finalist in 2018. The two co-founders are MIT alumni from the Media Lab and the System Design & Management program.

Quotes and Commentary “Over the last decade, farming has undergone a technology transformation; however, when it comes to milk testing, little has changed, and the process remains slow, inefficient, and cost-prohibitive. Farmers lack the information they need to keep the herd healthy and maximize milk yields. Our practical solution provides rapid, affordable, and laboratory-grade milk testing in real-time. Now every dairy farm can gain visibility into animal health, milk quality, and feed efficiency, enabling them to optimize their operations." Julia Somerdin, Co-Founder & CEO, Labby
“Labby is leading a revolution in milk mining, bringing insights into the known unknowns of dairy, and as a result, supporting more sustainable farming. That’s why we are excited to join the Labby journey.’" Aidan Connolly, President, AgriTech Capital “Dairy farmers need intelligent solutions that deliver actionable insights. Labby’s innovative solution holds the opportunity to transform milk testing and provides farmers with the data to make informed decisions that help optimize yields, keep animals healthy, and reduce costs.” Jamie Zimmerman, Dairy One’s CEO & General Manager

Making Smart Dairy Farming a Reality

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 15:26:00 GMT

As the global population continues to expand , farmers need to increase production levels to satisfy the growing demand for food. For dairy farmers, this requires keeping the herd as healthy as possible to optimize both the volume and quality of milk produced and, of course, revenue. Agtech Revolution Farmers are turning to technology to increase efficiency across the farm and reduce costs. The modern farm now encompasses an array of interconnected sensors, machines, hardware, and software, creating a smart farm, aiding farmers in their quest to automate and optimize operations. Drawing on this technology, farmers can now make informed and accurate decisions at the individual animal level or per square meter— rather than as previously at the herd or field level. This shift allows farmers to make more informed and precise decisions to maximize yields. For dairy farming, technology is also critical to make milk production more efficient and sustainable. Ensuring the health of the herd is vital as healthy cows produce not only more milk, but the quality is higher. Solving the Mastitis Problem One of the critical challenges that dairy farmers need to overcome is reducing the impact of diseases like mastitis. A staggering 25% of cows are infected each year with mastitis, resulting in $32 billion in lost revenue . For farmers to increase milk yields and income, it's vital to quickly and easily identify mastitis at an early stage so that they can take preventative measures to reduce treatment costs and prevent yields from plummeting. The traditional approach for detecting and managing mastitis has relied on a combination of waiting until symptoms are visible, at which point the disease will have already spread, and infrequent milk samples sent to a laboratory for review. This approach to testing is labor-intensive, expensive, and by the time the farmer has access to the results, the herd’s situation is likely very different. Dairy farmers need a connected milk testing solution that provides real-time insights and is affordable and easy to use. The Labby Difference Labby has taken these challenges into account and created an intuitive automated testing solution that continuously evaluates milk composition and quality. The advanced mobile spectroscopy sensing system provides real-time milk analysis, including fat, protein and the somatic cell count (SCC) in under 10 seconds via a handheld device that beams light onto a milk sample. The AI algorithm then interprets the data, which the farmer can view via a smartphone app.
The solution provides fast and affordable visibility into the herd's health and the quality of every drop of raw milk. By tracking the SCC in real-time for each individual cow, at the farm, farmers can detect mastitis immediately and manage the disease with minimal impact on the milk yield. Unlike other testing solutions, Labby is easy to deploy. After the initial hardware investment, there is a small monthly subscription fee, making it a cost-effective option for precision dairy. The solution seamlessly integrates with robotic milking solutions or other parlor systems. Farmers need continuous insights into the health of the herd to take preventative action. With Labby, farmers finally have a scientific approach to analyzing milk composition and quality. Farmers can quickly and easily identify mastitis outbreaks, allowing them to contain and treat the disease immediately. This will lead to a reduction in the number of cows infected and revenue lost.
The Connected Farm Farming is undergoing a technology transformation that will help optimize productivity and operations. When it comes to dairy farming, embracing smart connected technology allows farmers to make informed decisions that help optimize yields, keep animals healthy and reduce costs. Farmers ignoring the shift to connected technology and not striving to create a smart farm will struggle to remain competitive.
To learn more about how our automated milk testing solution is helping dairy farmers sign up for a demo here .

Why Dairy Farming Needs Realtime Data

Thu, 22 Oct 2020 04:08:00 GMT

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 staggerin g 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.

Digital technologies in animal health: focus on the dairy industry (Part 1)

Thu, 11 Jun 2020 12:17:00 GMT

For someone who has a background in materials physics, working with exotic materials has been a fun and exciting experience. I have worked with plastics that conduct electricity, can emit light (in LEDs), and even transform solar energy to useful electrical energy. Virtually no technology would exist today, if not for advances in materials science and engineering.
In the broad spectrum of fascinating materials, biomaterials and materials that our body makes, like blood and milk, have a special place. These are extremely complex materials that only our (or animals) bodies can make. For instance, we still drink milk from cows, goats, and buffaloes, we donate blood to save lives, and we extract stem cells from bone marrows. The sheer complexity of some materials does not allow us to easily re-engineer them. Milk is one such amazing material.
Composition of milk
Milk is a rich material from a composition perspective, containing fat, proteins, lactose, water and minerals. Complexity of milk as a material arises from the manner in which many of the components exist in it. For instance, fat exists as globules in an oil/water emulsion. The size of these globules is about 1–10 microns and can be seen under an optical microscope. Cow’s milk typically has 3–6% of fat. Some breeds like the holstein (the one with black and white patches) produce lower fat (3–4%), whereas other breeds like the jersey (smaller brown ones) produce higher fat (5%). The amount of fat also varies with the type of animal. Buffaloes, for instance, produce milk with about 8% fat. There are several types of proteins in milk including casein (majority) and whey proteins. Casein exists in a colloidal form with micelles in the 10–100 nm range, which can be seen under an electron microscope. Since the size of protein micelles and fat globules is comparable to the wavelengths of visible light, they act as scatterers. Scattering by fat globules in relative wavelength independent, so we see that thick, white, opaque feature of milk. Scattering by protein micelles is governed by the Tyndall effect, where blue light is scattered more than red. This explains why skim milk (0% fat, only protein) has a slight bluish tinge (also our iris looks blue due to the same reason!). In addition to fat and protein, milk contains lactose (sugar) that is found completely dissolved as a true solution. As you can see, this is a complex mix of many organic molecules organized across various sizes. And this is a simplified picture of what milk contains. There are minerals, vitamins A, D,K, riboflavin and who bunch of other molecules in milk! Isn’t that amazing!

Typical composition of cow’s milk
Composition of Raw milk

Milk that we buy in a grocery store is generally standardized (maintain same composition), homogenized (so that fat doesn’t separate) and pasteurized (to remove pathogens). However, fresh raw milk has a different composition. One major difference between raw and processed milk relates to the presence of somatic cells in raw milk. Somatic cells are typically white blood cells (leukocytes) that can be found in milk that is freshly obtained from a cow. Apart from somatic cells, raw milk can have bacteria and other microbes, and antibiotic residues if the cow is being treated.