Life with SenseHub Series: Cork farm ‘pushing forward’ with technology

Every farmer dreads the day a cow or a calf goes down sick, knowing the toll it takes not only on the animal’s welfare, but also on themselves through added time constraints and the associated financial strains.

However, with advancing technology, farmers can now simply monitor their animals around the clock, allowing them to detect and treat any illness before it progresses.

John, Eileen, and their son Micheál O’Callaghan are running a dairy enterprise in Mourneabbey, Mallow, Co. Cork. The family are milking 160 purebred pedigree Holstein Friesian cows on a grass-based system.

The O’Callaghans have a strong focus on grass and cows, meaning optimised breeding and maximised animal health are a necessity on farm.

To achieve this, the O’Callaghans invested in SenseHub Behaviour Monitoring Technology from MSD Animal Health three years ago.

The O’Callaghans initially invested in the SenseHub collars for their main herd, but following its success, they also decided to invest in SenseHub Youngstock for their calves, as well as installing the SenseHub Drafting Gate from MSD Animal Health.

SenseHub

The farm purchased the collars under the TAMS grant three seasons ago in a bid to improve breeding, while also keeping up with the ever-advancing technology in the farming industry.

The O’Callaghans achieved a 75% conception rate in their first service last year, with John stating: “I think we wouldn’t have achieved that, only for SenseHub.”

Micheál said: “There is a lot of benefits to using the SenseHub collars and Youngstock.”

“It’s not just heat detection.”

He outlined how the activity and health monitoring features are of huge benefit to the farm, describing how they recently had a notification from the app about a cow with milk fever.

This let them get in early with two bottles of calcium, with Micheál stating the cow was back up within two hours.

After investing in the collars, the family-run farm decided to install the SenseHub drafting gate from MSD Animal Health.

When speaking about the drafting system, Micheál said it was installed for “the simple fact” that it is not stressing out the animals or the farmers. Micheál said: “When you go out in the morning after milking, all your cows that are on heat are drafted and all”.

He added that the benefits do not stop there, however, as the gate makes drafting cows during the dry off period, or any sick cows, a simple task too.

Youngstock

Micheál said that SenseHub Dairy Youngstock is a ‘very simple piece of technology’, which they put on when tagging calves normally.

The tag allows the O’Callaghans to monitor their replacement heifer calves throughout their early life right up until they calve down, where the tag is then switched out for a heat detection collar.

The piece of technology identifies any early signs of illness before any clinical signs become visible.

Early detection of illness and prompt treatment can help achieve optimum health and performance right from the start of every calf’s life, boosting their performance.

The 24/7 monitoring tool has become a critical part of boosting herd health and production, as calves that succumb to illness at a young age are less likely to achieve their full potential later on in life.

The O’Callaghans availed of the SenseHub GO Subscription payment model for the purchase of their Youngstock tags.

This is a monthly payment plan which, as John explained, allows them to “easily add on additional tags” as required. According to John, this allowed him to keep a positive cash flow, as well as easily adding on any additional tags required.

Micheál added: “What life with SenseHub means for me is just the easy use and flexibility with it.

“If we are away, we can monitor our herd, we can pick up cows that are in heat, and have them drafted and all for an AI technician to come in”.

John believes the collars are vital for the timing of artificial insemination (AI). He said: “You could be wondering if she was she bulling yesterday evening or did she only start this morning, but the technology will tell you all of that.

“You can look at it above at your kitchen table, you don’t have to be out in the field looking at them, or you don’t have to be in the yard looking at them.

“The phone or the computer will tell you all of that at the press of a button.”

Interested in finding out more about how you can save time and improve herd health with SenseHub? Click here