Using data to measure parlor performance
No matter the parlor type on your dairy, efficiency is a must. Dr. David Reid, Owner at Rocky Ridge Consulting, LLC, explains how there’s a direct relationship between a cow’s milk quality and how efficient the parlor she is being milked in is operating.
Check out these three ways DairyComp can help you track parlor performance and use data to improve milk quality in your herd.
Use parlor data to motivate change
Start with 2-3 key performance indicators to track and share with your team. As an owner or farm manager, you may be able to list these numbers right off the top of your head – but remember that parlor efficiency starts and ends with your team. Ensure they’re a part of the data review process by posting a report or writing key metrics on a whiteboard in the parlor for your team. This should be done routinely but after each shift is ideal. Your team will be a key player in getting your parlor performance to where it needs to be so allowing them to see and be a part of the change will ensure everyone is held accountable.
Here are a few common key performance indicators for parlor efficiency that can be measured in DairyComp:
- Pounds of milk per cow
- Pounds of milk per shift
- Average flow
- Average duration
Track parlor performance data over time
Each of the above indicators contribute to parlor performance, but viewing the numbers over time can reveal how changes are impacting performance. Create regular check-ins to review the trends in your data, and tweak protocols as needed.
Using the command PARLOR\W in DairyComp, view milking start and finish times, pounds of milk per cow, average duration, average flow and more by milking. For example, if you’d like to view data for the second milking of the day, use the PARLOR\WM2 command. Either way, DairyComp will prompt you for the milking number you’d like to review.
Sometimes it’s easier to see trends if data is presented in a graph. PARLOR\O allows you to view 1-2 data parameters collected from each milking. You can view the data by milking or pen number. Once again, make sure you keep an eye on trends over time as your team implements changes to improve parlor efficiency.
Small changes, big results
While factors like cow comfort, parlor design, milking procedures and equipment settings can all have a significant impact on parlor performance, significant changes are not always required. Start with the basics and go from there – seek out opportunities to minimize parlor loading and exit times, reduce prep lag times and eliminate employee distractions in the parlor.
Whether your parlor has been running for five years or 25 years, there is always room to improve. Interested in learning more about using your data to bolster profit and parlor performance? Tune into our ‘Understanding Your Parlor Data to Optimize Performance’ webinar with Craig Walter, VAS Senior Educator, and Dr. David Reid, Owner at Rocky Ridge Consulting, LLC.
View the handout for more information on parlor efficiency reports and how to benchmark progress.
