We put Fitbits on our cows!

We put Fitbits on our cows! They're not exactly Fitbits (they're actually Allflex) but they do a lot of the same things.

They track:

Activity level - If she isn't moving around as much, it tells us that she might not be feeling right. This way we can check her even BEFORE she gets sick.

Rumination - If she's not eating as much, it could mean something is wrong or the feed isn't agreeing with her.

Other points:

AI - Not artificial intelligence...artificial insemination. By tracking her activity, we can see when she's ready to be bred.

Sort gate - You can set up the gate to automatically sort them by their collars into different areas.

Tools - It's all set up the software on our phones and computer. Everything is tracked to make sure that we have eyes on our cows and are using tools to provide them with the best quality care possible.

I've worn a Fitbit for six years. It's probably high time that our cows have them too!

                   

New construction!

New construction!

We're building a management rail (also called a palpation rail) where we can take care of cows. We're also putting in a dedicated area to trim their hooves, which we do on a regular schedule.

It will all be controlled with an electronic sort gate which is run off the RFID tags in our cattle's ears. This way, it's easier for them to know where to go, since the gates will open automatically to guide them to the correct area. This is less disruptive for them.

This includes an office where the computer running the sort gate will be housed in half, and the other half will store pallets of minerals and supplemental feed. 

We're excited!

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Check out this old blog on hoof trimming ... Josh Salisbury, once our longtime employee, is our trimmer now, (Sheldon moved away), but it's the same idea! Click here: Hoof trimming.