Infrared (IR) cameras could hold the key to improving heat (or oestrus) detection on dairy farms, according to initial results from a FutureDairy pilot trial. FutureDairy project leader, Assoc Prof Kendra Kerrisk, said that although the research was in its early days, the technology was commonly available
With the robotic rotary now operating at the Dornauf farm in Tasmania, dairyfarmers are starting to ask specific questions about how it works, and whether the optional extras, such as teat preparation robots are a good business proposition.
Advances in technology are allowing dairy farmers to use a combination of data from their own farm and climate records to ‘learn’ from seasonal yields. This new learning function will enable farmers to determine the causes of poor pasture performance and to identify ways to improve yields.
The location of a feedpad in an automatic milking system (AMS) can be a useful tool for encouraging higher levels of intake of supplementary feed, according to recent research conducted by the FutureDairy team. Postgraduate student Tori Scott investigated how the location of supplementary feed affected the time it took cows to move back to the paddock after milking, and the time taken to return for their next milking.
The techno world has reached the dairy industry, with a range of applications that add convenience and power to the business of producing milk, without costing the earth. FutureDairy post-graduate students, Nicolas Lyons and René Kolbach, held the audience at the recent Australian Dairy Conference entranced, with their presentation that gave an insight into some of the ‘apps’ now available to Australian dairy farmers.
A demand-driven approach to pasture allocation has enabled the FutureDairy team to consistently achieve 18-20 tonnes dry matter (DM)/hectare pasture utilisation under full irrigation. This approach involves systematic monitoring of pasture growth and has the potential to achieve higher pasture utilisation than the industry average.