As we near the end of the spring-calving season in Ireland, farmers are busy dealing with the usual health issues and events associated with calving and calf rearing.

Amidst all these tasks, and those that are fast approaching, it would be extremely helpful to have a tool that focuses solely on the health and well-being of the herd, monitoring its every move, both day and night.

This is where solutions like the Tru-Test Active Tag (from Datamars Livestock) comes in.

In an era where antibiotic usage is being reduced, animal welfare is receiving increased attention, and environmental best practices are a priority, active monitoring is critical.

It can help farmers to identify potential health issues hours or even days before any clinical symptoms arise, allowing for early intervention and the boosting of a cow's natural immunity defences to ward off the worst effects.

The value and benefit of early detection cannot be underestimated. Teagasc estimates that a mild case of mastitis costs €200 and a late-detected or severe case costs up to €700. 

Active monitoring provides real-time information on the whole herd, with new features that allow farmers to drill down deeper into sub-groups.

For example, first-calved heifers are particularly vulnerable and require extra attention during this stage of production and its stressors. These are the future of the herd and must be looked after accordingly.

Early intervention with these animals will ensure a productive first lactation and increase the likelihood of a long, productive life in the herd.

Late-calving cows from this season are generally the most productive cows from the 2022 production cycle. However, they also run a high risk of exiting the herd if they experience a negative health event during their transition period.

Active monitoring allows farmers to create a special group for these animals, benchmarking their health and production not only against their peers but also themselves.

This enables you to give greater attention to where it is needed, the at-risk cows.

Another example might be cows that are over the ideal body condition and on a less frequent feeding routine which predisposes them to transition cow disease. By monitoring rumination, feeding, and lying scores, Tru-Test Active Tag can help identify animals at risk.

The health alert then warns, whilst the systems provides information and history to identify health issues early.

It is also likely that these cows may be in negative energy balance, have ketosis, or even fatty liver, all of which can negatively impact cow production and longevity.

A further evolution of the smart farming ecosystem is the ability to combine active monitoring data with other data points, such as daily weighing, which aids farmers to offer a scientific solution to managing cow weight (and body condition score) changes during critical periods of lactation, maximising herd production, profitability, and protecting the genetic gain in their herd.

For more information on Tru-Test Active Tag from Datamars Livestock, click here.