In an industry where external factors like Mother Nature, milk markets, and regulations dominate, farmers have found solace in the few controllable elements of their operations. James Vander Waal, an Iowa dairy producer in Hull, is a prime example of how technology can be leveraged to enhance efficiency in dairy farming.

Vander Waal manages a dairy operation, milking just shy of 1,600 cows located one hour outside of Sioux Falls. Despite not considering himself a tech enthusiast, he humorously admits, “I guess I kinda am.”

Technological Transformation

About seven years ago, Vander Waal initiated a technological transformation on his farm by installing SenseHub Dairy collars (previously known as SCR Dairy) to track his cows’ heats. Alongside these collars, he utilizes sort gates and milk meters to further streamline his operations.

Earlier this spring, Vander Waal took another leap forward by installing SenseHub Dairy Youngstock after his calf feeder quit. Initially, he undertook calf care himself and recalls urging his calf feeder to catch sick calves more quickly.

“Then, I tried doing it and it’s not easy going through 350-plus calves and assessing each of them in a timely manner,” Vander Waal shares. While he is still learning about the system and its benefits, overall he is happy with the purchase.

Implementation and Benefits

Each calf on Vander Waal’s farm, including their beef-on-dairy calves that are retained until they reach 500 lbs., is tagged with this monitoring system at birth. The system went live in April, and Vander Waal’s oldest calves were moved to group housing a month ago. The youngstock technology has provided numerous benefits, most notably saved labor and the ability to detect signs of illnesses like pneumonia earlier.

“The tags are able to catch calves about two days earlier than I would through visual observation,” Vander Waal notes. He also points to two other advantages of the system:

Gained Efficiency: Calves not on the ‘watch list’ don’t need as much attention, making the assessment process quicker.

Gained Time: The technology allows for focused attention on calves that need it most, freeing up time for other tasks.

Every morning after feeding the calves, Vander Waal prints a health report and systematically walks the pens, starting with the youngest calves. This process ensures that only the calves needing attention are closely monitored.

Today, Vander Waal uses technology to streamline his labor needs. By leveraging the SenseHub Dairy Youngstock system, he can assign less experienced employees to treat the calves, armed with a standardized treatment plan. This approach removes emotional bias, ensuring consistent care regardless of employee performance.

“I’m able to give an employee a list and treatment plan,” he explains. “This takes any emotion out of the process. If an employee is having an off day, it doesn’t impact the decision if a calf should get treated or not.”

The Importance of Calf Care

Whether or not Vander Waal considers himself a tech enthusiast, his commitment to technology-driven efficiency is undeniable.

“Calves are worth more today than they have been in a long time, so calf care is extremely important,” Vander Waal emphasizes. “Those black calves are worth $500-plus at day one, and dairy calves are also worth a lot more than they once were. It is important to ensure all the calves stay healthy.”

Brandt Kreuscher, Dairy Business Development Manager for North America for Merck Animal Health, says SenseHub Dairy Youngstock is the first technology of its kind that can monitor calves from birth onward. This application is designed specifically for individually housed and group housed calves that are suckling. The tag uses different software applications based on the animal’s age and location.

“If we think about the task of raising calves, it is an amazing skillset,” Kreuscher says. He notes that the SenseHub Dairy Youngstock tags highlight calves that need attention utilizing an LED light, assisting employees in quickly scanning and detecting calves that might be sick and need extra attention.

While at times a lot can seem out of control for a producer, technology provides a sense of control—allowing for gained efficiencies and improved health outcomes. Vander Waal is certainly satisfied with the SenseHub Dairy Youngstock system so far.

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