A look at only some of the recent and upcoming developments influencing the Canadian dairy industry.
Emission-reducing espaFLEX by Kraiburg
EspaFLEX is an emission-reducing slatted flooring (photo above) by Kraiburg. Thanks to the design of the walking alley mat for slatted floors, the slit pattern can be varied, thereby significantly reducing the overall number of slits and minimizing ammonia release.
A three per cent slope on both sides of the rubber mat allows liquids to drain quickly and reliably – resulting in dry, healthy hooves and less ammonia. In addition, espaFLEX also ensures animal-friendly walking comfort and excellent slip resistance.
CATTLEytics insights
The CATTLEytics dashboard gives dairy teams a real-time view of cows, people, and priorities – turning on-farm data into simple, actionable decisions. The dashboard seamlessly integrates sustainable farming practices with cutting-edge technology, including machine learning and AI, to provide farmers with advanced tools that proactively address animal health and promote environmental responsibility. CATTLEytics digitally twins dairy farms, focusing on integrated staff communication, scheduling, data connectivity, and customized modeling for economic and health insights.
The GEA DairyProX
The new GEA DairyProX is a semi-automated milking system designed to fit current milking parlours. The system redefines the operator’s role – simply bring in the cows and attach the units. The rest of the routine (including teat cleaning, stimulation, pre-dip application, fore-stripping, milking and post-dipping) happens within the milking unit. GEA’s In-Liner Everything process controls the milking process from start to finish, ensuring each cow receives the same quality prep and sanitation and teat cleaning, stimulation, fore-stripping and dipping procedures are performed with precision. Each milking unit is sanitized between cows, demonstrated significant benefits in minimizing cross-contamination of bacteria.
DeLaval VMS V300 series introduces new features
DeLaval introduced significant technology and design enhancements to its VMS V300 series milking robots. Alongside a new larger box that can accommodate a wider range of cow breeds and sizes, the robots also come equipped with the technology of DeLaval Flow-Responsive milking (FRM). This technology uses actual milk flow to adjust vacuum levels – creating a more efficient milk flow profile and reducing milking times by up to 40 seconds and features up to 50 per cent fewer kick-offs by enabling a more relaxed, gentler milking session. Delaval Milk Cell Analysis is a new optional feature for DeLaval VMS V300 series robots – an automatic somatic cell count sensor that accurately and instantaneously identifies subclinical mastitis, the system helps minimize treatment and prevent costly infections.
Lactanet’s Transition Management Index
Lactanet recently launched the Transition Management Index (TMI) – a tool to objectively assess the quality of the transition period management of dairy herds. The transition period is marked by several stressors – most cows adapt well, but some don’t, and that can have lasting effects on milk production, fertility, and longevity. The TMI can help producers understand if the herd is going through transition challenges, helping to identify opportunities for improvement and to optimize management practices and productivity.
Ultra-Trac and Trac-Plus Plus finishes
Traction Plus’s innovative new finishes – Ultra-Trac and Trac-Plus Plus – can now be added to your existing finishes. The evolution of your floors over time must be monitored so that they perform at their best and provide the best possible traction. These finishes reopen the pores of the concrete and restore the effectiveness of your floors throughout the facility. Concrete floors work for you 24 hours a day and control hoof horn growth daily. Maintaining and reviving surfaces at full grip capacity contributes to the balance and stability of your cows’ hoof health and overall well-being.
eShepherd virtual fencing from Gallagher
Gallagher’s eShepherd is a GPS-enabled virtual fencing system that gives livestock producers the freedom to manage cattle remotely, without posts or wire. The neckband sits comfortably under the chin like a modern Swiss cowbell – keeping cattle within boundaries using an audio cue, with a mild pulse only if an animal crosses the virtual fence line. Using a simple app, producers create and adjust virtual fences on a digital map and offers real-time tracking and movement data available 24/7 from anywhere. The eShepherd enables smarter, data-driven decisions about grazing strategies and herd management – whether managing rotational grazing, protecting sensitive areas, or optimizing pasture use.
Proclap handles by PFB Equipment
PFB Equipment introduces Proclap headlocks for cow comfort and farmer convenience. The Proclap handle has been completely redesigned for a smoother, more intuitive grip and effortless rotation with an optimized mechanism. The high-resistance polycarbonate is built for tough farm conditions with a quick and secure locking system for reliable operation.
Find my Cow Flash by Cow Manager
Find my Cow Flash is a smart, time-saving solution that helps producers locate a cow, heifer or calf. A built-in flashing LED on the CowManager ear sensor is activated remotely by an app or desktop. Producers can now easily identify individual animals that need extra attention, whether in a crowded pen, during sorting, or in low visibility conditions. Fully integrated with all CowManager solutions, this tool empowers producers to take immediate action following a health, fertility or location alert, saving valuable time, labor and operational costs; minimizing lock-up times; and reducing stress on both cows and the farm team.
360 Rain the “field butler”
The 360 Rain is an autonomous irrigation system for applying water, liquid manure, and other nutrients in crop. The system allows for earlier planting, and you can apply liquid manure after the corn is planted and all throughout the year. Blending water and manure together to helps with soil integration – the water boosts yield especially on lighter soils and allows for greater efficiency with the manure when applying to a growing crop that can use the nutrients immediately. Other nutrients such as sulphur, boron or additional nitrogen can be added as well. The machine is equipped with a local dedicated RTK GPS system and controlled with an app on an iPhone or iPad.
Dairy Data Warehouse and Milk Sustainability Centre
Dairy Data Warehouse (DDW) unlocks the full potential of data on dairy farms across the globe to enable the industry to harness big data and AI for sustainable and more profitable farming. The company collects farm data from the herd management software and other sources on farm and ensures high data quality by cleaning and transforming it into a unified, comparable set for AI-driven strategic decision making, benchmarking and insights. DDW solutions support key stakeholders in nutrition, genetics, animal health, cow monitoring, and milking equipment.
The Milk Sustainability Centre (MSC) is a free digital platform developed by DeLaval and John Deere, powered by Dairy Data Warehouse, to help dairy farmers improve efficiency and sustainability through automated data management.
ProFlora by BioFerScience
BioFerScience is dedicated to developing innovative products that support transition cows and young calves. Their latest breakthrough is the first Ontario- and Canadian-made calcium bolus, formulated with both fast-acting and long-lasting calcium sources, and fortified with Vitamin D, magnesium oxide, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae to promote better rumination in fresh cows after calving.
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