As one of the first farmers in Australia to use a heat and health monitor system, western Victorian dairy farmer Katrina McRae has seen the benefits of embracing technology.
She will be part of a 'Making a Measurable Difference' farmer panel at the GA 2024: Today, Tomorrow and Beyond conference in Geelong, Vic, on March 18-19 and will be encouraging others to seriously consider adopting technologies that will help their business performance.
Ms McRae, who sharefarms with her partner Kerry Cowland on her parents' family farm just outside of Heywood, Vic, installed the Datamars Tru-Test system in March 2022.
The Tru-Test Automated Heat and Health Monitoring with Active Ear Tags and Active Collars, marketed in Australia by Genetics Australia, have made a profound difference for Ms McRae.
She said the monitoring system had made everything easier and led to a substantial improvement in the farm's in-calf rate.
"This year has been the best in-calf rate we have had in a long time," she said.
"We're managing the cows better feed wise and with everything else, but the fact that we can pinpoint when they are in their optimal window for AI has significantly increased our ability to get them in-calf.
"It means we don't have to buy as many replacements this year.
"We don't have to outlay as much money because we've got so many cows in-calf."
Ms McRae and Mr Cowland bought the mostly Holstein herd from her parents last year.
They dried off 187 cows starting March 1 with calving starting mid-April.
Ms McRae has always been close to her cows, but said the monitoring system had been spot on in uncovering any problems.
"I generally pick up if we have an unwell cow because you get to know them, but then system always sends an alert," she said.
"With a bigger set up, it would be even more beneficial for farms that have more cows and different workers."
It particularly helps with non-cycling cows.
"I get that data and collate everything so I can have it ready when we start AI-ing in July," she said.
"I can have those cows grouped ready for whatever I'm going to do to get them going.
"We're not waiting for the end of AI and then picking up that they haven't cycled.
"They're already on and going.
"Just knowing that it's picking up on that helps."
Embracing technology on farm
Ms McRae's main message in the panel discussion will be to embrace technology.
"There's nothing wrong with still physically being out there and observing your cows, and I still do that, but you get so much more information so you can pre-plan and know about any problem cows," she said.
"Because of what the system picks up, when you start, you're on the right foot and you've got a better chance to get your cows in-calf early.
"We need to tighten up our calving so if we can get any non-cycling cows going straight away that's a great help.
"If I can get many in calf as quickly as possible, I can make better informed, business-minded decisions."
Scott Davis of Datamars Livestock and northern Victoria dairy farmer Markus Lang will join Ms McRae on the panel.
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