What was once reliant on the expert eye of practised herd managers, experienced milking staff and regular milk recording, can now be achieved quickly and precisely by using a herd monitoring system to provide real-time insights into a range of key performance indicators
In addition to monitoring the usual array of fertility and health related indexes, the latest generation of the SenseHub® Dairy Ecosystem from MSD Animal Health provides additional herd management benefits by combining in-parlour identification, milk quality analysis and automatic segregation gate operation into one easy-to-use package.
Monitoring
SenseHub neck tags and ear tags constantly monitor the behavioural habits and activity trends of dairy cows, heifers and calves to identify the tell-tale signs of fertility, stress, health, and dietary-related issues. And, whenever a heat event or potential problem is detected, the SenseHub app can automatically send an alert to key members of staff so that an informed decision can be made to safeguard the welfare and productivity of the affected animal(s).
Automation
SenseHub can also help to remove the potential for human error to disrupt the herd's daily regime: in addition to their monitoring role, SenseHub neck tags can also be used for in-parlour identification and to operate an MSD Animal Health sorting gate. This removes the need for separate parlour ID tags and ensures every animal is segregated for insemination at the optimum time or for treatment at the earliest opportunity.
Milk monitoring
The SenseHub Ecosystem also includes milk flow sensors and somatic cell count sensors which analyse milk quality as each cow is being milked: the SenseHubTM Dairy In-Line MilkPlus Sensor measures yield, fat, protein, lactose, blood and conductivity, while the SenseHubTM Dairy In-Line Somatic Cell Count Sensor provides individual SCC results within two minutes of the start of milking.
Data from these sensors - which can be installed alongside any milking parlour type or brand - is then automatically displayed as easy to understand graphs and reports in the SenseHub app which makes it simple for herd managers to keep a close watch on the milking trends and milk quality of individual cows. Animals can also be monitored on a group basis to guide longer-term planning of the herd.
Third party integration and customer support
To keep things simple when it comes to record keeping, the SenseHub Ecosystem is compatible with over 35 herd management programmes. This reduces paperwork and time spent inputting data, giving you more time to focus on the health and productivity of your herd. And, with a dedicated team of SenseHub support staff, we are here to help you get the most from your investment in herd monitoring.
Want to learn more? Visit the MSD Sense hub
