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.
