Keeping an ear out for Daisy
Keeping an ear out for Daisy
Enterprise mobility systems provider Symbol Technologies has successfully completed a pilot program, using RFID tags to help streamline the process of collecting and testing milk samples from Australian dairies.
The project, which is the first of its kind in Australia, was undertaken for Northern Herd Development Co-operative Ltd. (NHD), which provides dairy herd improvement services, such as milk testing and artificial insemination.
The NHD used RFID technology to make it easier for farmers to monitor their herds' productivity and take swift action should a problem exist. It did so through the use of RFID tags inserted into the cows' ears, read with handheld scanners.
They were able to identify each individual cow with the tags, and its level of milk production, information which was then updated on a main database.
"This solution will allow us to provide a value-added service to the dairy farmers of Victoria," said Philip Wren, General Manager of NHD. "It has really streamlined the milk testing process, which hopefully means that most farmers will take advantage of this facility, improving the quality and efficiency of milk production.
"The milk testing process is an essential tool for dairy farmers. It helps them gauge their cows' productivity as well as milk quality. We wanted to make the system as simple and reliable as possible. Our previous manual system was labour intensive, reliant on visual cow identification and was error prone due to subscription errors and the like. This solution – through the use of advanced technology – streamlines and speeds up the testing process for dairy farmers, increases their productivity through genetic gain and increased productivity levels, and ensures better milk quality for public consumption."
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