Data is an everyday tool for dairy farms. Information about cow health, how much feed is in a bunk, the latest reproduction program results, and so on are just a few of the data points that a farm owner or herd manager might look at in a day. Hours can be lost swimming through all the data generated in a day on a farm. Spotting trends or flagging issues becomes harder as you jump between different software programs.
To help with data consolidation, Dairy One has recently partnered with iYOTAH to introduce Blue Board. This software program pulls data from all your management programs into one place. Apart from saving time, this tool also generates reports for various parts of the farm and consolidates information on different programs. But before diving into this product, let’s look at why data is an important resource on dairy farms.
Data on the Farm
In today’s technology-heavy world, data is generated for just about every task on a farm. Starting with a cow, there are multiple data points connected to her. From how much feed she’s eating, how many steps she’s taking, and the all-important how much milk she’s making, all of these data points will feed into the bigger picture of a farm.
The reproduction program being run on a dairy herd also generates a lot of data. Its successes or failures need to be tracked to prevent loss of profit from declines in milk production. Whenever there are protocols for repro programs or different pens are bred, all of that creates information that farms track to see the effects.
Feed is another area that creates information that needs to be followed. From how much feed is in a load, to what’s left in a commodities bin is vital to prevent a Saturday night phone call saying there’s a problem with that night’s feed ration. Feed data is also a tool that a farm’s nutritionist needs to build a ration for a farm, and they also need access to reports to make sure they’re creating the right ration for your herd.
With all of this data being generated – and this is only three parts of it – it can be hard to go from a software program to a different one to review information. And that’s where Blue Board steps in.
Benefits of Simplifying Data Management
With the Blue Board software, data is pulled from all other systems, like BoviSync, Feedlync, Dart, SRC tags, and so on, to be compiled in one dashboard. There are many benefits to having this single dashboard. First, it saves on labor costs. Not only the labor costs associated with time spent pulling reports across all of these software programs but training costs too. Rather than showing numerous Excel sheets during a meeting, this software can be pulled up and create customized reports for what a farm needs.
By cutting the amount of time spent pulling reports, farms will be able to focus more on animal welfare. Rather than being at a computer trying to pull data, individuals can be out in the barns checking on protocols, monitoring cows, and meeting with team members. This benefit will improve the overall care of the herd.
Speaking of care for the herd, Blue Board is easy to give access to outside consultants such as nutritionists and veterinarians. When working with a veterinarian, it’s important for them to be able to see certain information like reports on reproduction programs or calf care protocols. They can easily be added into the software so they can see data too and pull necessary information to help with decision making. These scenarios can also be applied to any other consultant who works with a farm.
The bottom line? Blue Board is here to help you reduce time at a computer pulling reports. It consolidates information into one place and helps you pull a report that is customized to your needs. For more information about this software, email Integrated Farming Solutions at [email protected].