NZ Dairy Autumn 2021

26 | nz dairy DAIRY TECHNOLOGY » AgritechNZ • from page 22 “They’ve got solar powered collars on the cows which allow you to have a virtual fence using sound and vibrations.” A dairy cow walks through an LIC Protrack automation drafting system. This system records data and weighs the cow on her way out of the milking shed. – Paul Sutherland Photography “People talk about the idea that ‘you can’t manage what you don’t measure’ so this is a really valuable tool for helping to manage individuals and groups of cows in that sense.” This is the sort of shed-based technology designed to collect information that’s easily used in rotary systems but can also be used in herring-bone systems, and it’s a good starting point for farmers to make that transition from labour-saving devices to decision-support devices that Brendan would like to see. As well as the shed-based technologies there are an increasing number of devices that an animal might wear to do what’s called activity monitoring. “So in addition to their ear tag they’ll wear a device that provides information about what the cow’s doing that will help with decision-making as well,” says Brendan. “So you start with labour-saving devices, then decision-support devices in the shed, then decision- support devices worn on the animals giving you insight into what’s happening, and then there’s also a whole suite of tools and capability around meas- uring pasture, so pasture-based tools to comple- ment the livestock-based tools.” These include tools for measuring pasture quality as well as growth rates, with some very high-tech options on offer such as the use of satellite imagery to monitor pasture growth. “It’s some pretty cool stuff from a technology point of view,” says Brendan, “and the beauty of it is that it’s getting better all the time and it’s really simple tech for the farmer to use. He or she doesn’t have anything to do with the satellite, they just need to look at the information that comes back Decision support devices a logical progression and use it to make decisions. No more walking the paddocks using a plate-meter to measure the grass themselves.” For Brendan it comes down to future proofing our farming systems by keeping them running on natural systems with improved insights and control. He appreciates the seamless way the high-tech side of using satellites integrates with the on-farm decision making, and he believes the next wave of technology has the potential to be both a game changer and farm saver. Two agri-tech businesses with New Zealand connections, Halter and e-Shepherd, are doing a lot of work around remote animal management he explains. “They’ve got solar powered collars on the cows which allow you to have a virtual fence using sound and vibrations. You can do break-feeding with cows by getting them to go “here” and not “there”. And you can also bring them back to the shed without having to go out and bring them back yourselves.” Brendan acknowledges it sounds space-agey but believes that the labour-saving it offers, which can then feed into potential lifestyle choices for farmers, make it an exciting point of research. He’s looking forward to seeing it move off the test farms where it’s being developed and being adopted more widely by a new wave of farmers in New Zealand and around the world. Waikato Milking Systems is upping its efforts in developing dairy technology to help more Kiwi farmers get the best out of their business each milking season. The New Zealand-owned company has some exciting new technology options it plans to reveal at this year’s Fieldays at Mystery Creek in June. Waikato Milking Systems New Zealand/Australia General Manager Grant Wisnewski says the company is keeping the new developments under wraps for now. “But our big focus for the future is on dairy automation and herd management technology for our new products. Technology is absolutely the best tool we can provide to farmers to help them future-proof their dairy operations.” Grant says the company will use Fieldays to demonstrate the results of its research and development into new innovations in milking automation and dairy herd management solutions, to name a few. “We’re refining our milking parlours to ensure they can be fitted with the best products to suit the unique conditions of each dairy farmer in New Zealand. Milking automation is key in this space to ensure our farmers can improve efficiency and productivity. We also want to show how we’ve made our milking parlours more comfortable environments to work in, especially for the operator, and for the animals at milking time.” Grant says using dairy management technology to collect data from the herd can help farmers make better long-term decisions for their animals and their businesses. This will be a key area of attention at this year’s Fieldays. “We realise having the ability to track, gather and review information on each animal’s performance is becoming a vital tool for farmers to manage their herds. Having those insights at your fingertips can really improve production and productivity.” Waikato Milking Systems has already had success with its milking automation products, which eliminate manual tasks, allowing staff to focus on other important tasks around the farm. The company’s range of automatic cup removers, automatic teat spray system, udder health detection and electronic milk meters, to name a few, are used widely in milking parlours around New Zealand. “Now we’re looking to take that technology to a new level. We’re keen to show the advances in our products that can take the guesswork out of the equation at milking time. Expect to see a highly improved range of product options to optimise the performance of dairy farms.” Grant says the company is constantly learning about what works best for Kiwi farmers and that will be an on-going journey of research and development. “We want to ensure we remain agile and flexible enough to ensure our technology and milking systems continue to meet the changing expectations of the dairy industry in New Zealand.” Waikato Milking Systems