4 integrations to streamline herd management
From hand-written 4×6 paper note cards and breeding wheels to cowside data entry and real-time performance alerts – dairy farm technology has come a long way.
With data collected from every area of your farm, a centralized location is needed to keep, analyze and view the thousands of data points coming in each day. Integrations, like those available to DairyComp users in VAS PULSE Platform, connect your on-farm technologies and your herd management software. They eliminate the need to jump from platform to platform, creating a single place to analyze your data – saving time and money.
Here are four herd data integrations to help connect your management tools in one place.
1. Performance monitoring
Milk data is among the most valuable data collected on any farm. Integrating this with your DairyComp, whether from a parlor system or milk testing, allows you to view data that impacts milk production alongside milk trends to make more informed management decisions. You can identify production trends and adjust rations, milking routines or management practices to maximize milk output.
You can also track individual cow performance, pinpoint outliers and detect early signs of health issues like mastitis, reproductive problems or nutritional deficiencies.
2. Activity monitoring systems
Combining activity monitoring data with DairyComp supports more accurate heat detection, enabling more timely breeding decisions. Overall, this leads to more precise reproductive management and improved conception rates.
The Activity monitoring software x DairyComp integration also lets you view all your cows’ data in one centralized location, from their CowCard information to activity levels. This makes it easier to spot behavioral trends and catch potential issues early.
Take analyzing reproductive protocol success for instance. When a cow is bred, her activity level index is automatically recorded alongside the breeding event entry. Leveraging reports in DairyComp, you can view trends in conception rates, services per conception and more alongside activity levels to help determine the optimal activity level for breeding to maximize conception opportunities.
3. Sort gate integrations
Sort gate integrations can help accurately and efficiently identify, evaluate and treat animals. Combining data from other farm technologies, like a monitoring system, with DairyComp allows you to automate sorting by easily creating a filtered list of animals that can be sent to the sort gate system.
For instance, when your monitoring system generates an individual cow alert, the gate automatically sorts her into a separate area after milking so you can perform a cowside evaluation, herd health tasks or breeding. This helps minimize pen disruption and time spent looking for cows while reducing lockup time.
4. Genetic and genomic integrations
ntegrated genetic and genomic data can help you make more informed breeding decisions. This data provides insights into traits, including milk production, fertility, disease resistance and longevity. Selectively breeding cows with desirable traits leads to a healthier, more productive herd.
Genomic data can reveal an animal’s genetic potential. You can tailor reproduction decisions to each animal’s performance when combined with herd management software. For example, you can easily see a heifer’s genomic values and view them side-by-side with her health events as a calf and heifer. Knowing her health history and genetic potential helps you decide whether to continue her genetics within the herd, breed her to beef, use her as a recipient or cull her.
You can also track individual cow performance, pinpoint outliers and detect early signs of health issues like mastitis, reproductive problems or nutritional deficiencies.
Pick a herd management partner that makes integrations easy
VAS’ goal is to create a centralized place for your data so you can make impactful decisions about your herd. Derrick Josi of Wilsonview Dairy in Oregon says maintaining a centralized approach to data management was a key factor when selecting new technology to implement on his farm.
“I wanted an activity monitoring system that worked well with our herd management system without too much hassle,” explains Josi. “With DairyComp, we didn’t have to limit our options because it works with a variety of on-farm technologies.”
VAS is committed to offering integration choices that meet the evolving needs of dairy farmers.
Curious how to bring your data together in one place? Explore the full list of integrations included in your DairyComp or MyDC on PULSE subscription, or reach out to the VAS support team for one-on-one guidance.
Thinking about upgrading your herd management system? As the industry’s leading software, DairyComp integrates with over 50 trusted partners to bring you simple, customizable data analysis. Contact us today to find out how VAS’ connected technology can make a difference for your farm.
