All About Comfort

Trevor milks 210 cows and has been using CowManager since 2022.

“The main reason is I don’t like the idea of putting things around a cow’s neck. And I find that ear tags are easier to put in and out,” Trevor says.

For him, it’s all about keeping things simple and comfortable for the cows — and for himself.

“It’s just more ease of management. We like using it and we will continue to use it. And it wasn’t too expensive, I don’t think. I’m 51 now. As we get older, why not make it a little bit easier for yourself?”

Before buying, he asked around. “I got some feedback from other people who use it (CowManager), and it was exactly the same. Once you put it in, you will never regret it. You think, ‘why didn’t I do this earlier?’”

First Thing in the Morning

Trevor says CowManager is now part of his daily routine.

“I check the system first thing in the morning. What cows are cycling, if there’s any health issues. Whether we need to check a cow for mastitis, which is normally the first instance. It tells you exactly what a cow is doing.”

And here’s the real bonus: you don’t even have to be at the farm to be able to keep an eye on the herd.

“If one of us happens to go away, you can still monitor everything, from wherever you happen to be. Whether it’s overseas, or in Australia. We went on a trip to New Zealand, and we could still tell what was going on back on the farm, which was quite nice.”

For Trevor, that’s been huge. “It’s been a game-changer for me.”

No More Tail Painting

One of the big wins for Trevor has been in reproductive management.

“With CowManager, it was a lot easier to pick up empty cows. Any cows that were still cycling when they shouldn’t have been, they should’ve been all in calf.”

He’s also been able to ditch some of the more time-consuming old-school methods.

“I used to tail paint. And that means touching cows up three times a week with paint – I no longer have to do that, which is good. And I always used to jump up and check each individual cow for heat. Whereas now, I just look at the app.”

The app’s Fertility accuracy has even changed how he uses sexed semen.

“CowManager gives you that optimal time of using sexed semen, and I’ve used that a lot. I always used to AI in the morning only, and now – because of that – I AI morning and night, because I can do it myself.”

Trevor has CowManager linked with Easy Dairy.

“We use the system with Easy Dairy, so there’s a touch screen at the front of the pit, which is all linked to CowManager, as well as our phones. Now I can auto draft or just punch them up into the computer and draft them that way.”
This means less running around and more time doing the important stuff.

A Lifesaver

One of the most valuable features for Trevor is CowManager’s health alerts.

“If there is a cow that’s not doing so well, an alert will come up on my phone, and I find that really, really good. When the health alert comes up, one of the things I always do check is what is the temperature doing? Has she got a stomach-ache, or has she got something else wrong with her?”

And when it comes to mastitis, CowManager’s speed is a lifesaver. “It’s definitely saved us. It picks up mastitis a whole lot earlier.”

Trevor’s pretty clear on where he stands: “Once you put it in, you will never regret it.”

Cow monitoring technology like CowManager isn’t just about making farming easier. It’s about keeping your herd healthier, catching problems before they cost you, and freeing up your time. And in Trevor’s case, it’s also about being able to go on family trips while being able to still keep an eye on the cows. For him, the only regret is not getting the system sooner.

Dairy News Australia

This article was previously published by Dairy News Australia.

One Story, Many Farms

No matter where a farm is located, cost is always part of the conversation. In Ireland, dairy farmer Sean Corby put it plainly: “Like all farmers, I’d like tools to be cheaper – but CowManager is a fantastic product and working very well here so far.”

That balance between investment and results is familiar everywhere. Farmers weigh every decision carefully, and value becomes clear only when a system proves itself over time.

For Canadian farmer Lynn Moore, that proof came through years of use. “I believe I’ve had CowManager since 2015 and I couldn’t be happier. It’s an excellent product; keep it up!”

Sticking with a system for nearly a decade isn’t about features on paper. It’s about consistency, trust, and knowing the system supports better decisions year after year.

From Tool to Partnership

With the right results and support, a tool becomes a partnership.

For many farmers, confidence in technology grows step by step. In the United States, producer Ryan Carbaugh from Waterside Farm described how results in one part of the operation led to broader adoption.

“I enjoy CowManager. It really works. We started using it on our heifers and had instant success: heifers bred on first and second services. We’re now experimenting with it in our tie stall barn and pasture setup. Seeing those results made me jump in.”

That’s how technology earns its place on a farm. Not through promises, but by delivering results where it matters most.

For others, the value goes beyond performance alone. Catching issues early can make the difference between a small intervention and a serious setback – for both cows and farmers.

In Germany, animal welfare is a top priority for farmer Uwe Petzold: “We’re very satisfied. From an animal welfare point of view, I think the system should be mandatory. We were able to treat cows before major problems occurred.”

Why These Stories Matter

Real experiences – positive, critical, and practical – help set realistic expectations and support better decisions on-farm.

As this new year gets underway, these voices reflect what dairy farming truly looks like: constant decisions, tight margins, and a clear focus on tools and services that help keep cows healthier and farms running more efficiently.

A Decade of Growth and Success

Since tagging our first cow in New Zealand in 2014, CowManager has steadily grown to support hundreds of forward-thinking farms across the country. Over the past 10 years, our presence has built a solid foundation, and now, with a direct presence in New Zealand, CowManager is accelerating its efforts and continuing to help farmers thrive with enhanced support and capabilities.

“We’ve seen tremendous growth and success over the years, and now it’s time to take the next step,” says Jared Bekhuis, Managing Director of CowManager NZ.

“By adding specialists and establishing our direct presence in New Zealand, we’re enhancing our capabilities to deliver faster, more expert service exactly where it’s needed. At the same time, we are expanding our portfolio with exciting innovations like Draft my Cow, the Youngstock Monitor, and Find my Cow Flash. These new solutions will provide our farmers with even more powerful tools to optimize their operations and improve herd management. And we’re just getting started-keep an eye out for even more cutting-edge advancements that will further transform the way we support our farmers.”

This transition opens an exciting new chapter for CowManager. With more resources and local expertise, we’re better positioned to offer tailored solutions and increased responsiveness, helping farmers achieve even greater success with our innovative solutions.

“New Zealand’s dairy sector is world-renowned for its excellence,” Bekhuis adds. “We’re proud to contribute to its ongoing success and invest in the future of every farmer we serve.”

What This Means for You

The contracts between CowManager and our valued customers will remain unchanged. Your terms, support, and service remain intact, with no alterations to your agreement.

• All current dealer employees will continue with CowManager NZ, along with additional new team members to enhance our support network.
• Our new office will be located at 3/137 Ossie James Drive, Hamilton Airport.
• You can reach us at our new office phone number: 0800 – 770566 or support@cowmanager.com per Saturday, August 16.
• We’ll be providing new contact details for your respective contact people, including support staff. They will be in touch soon to share their updated contact information, ensuring a smooth transition.

Looking Ahead

With a stronger local presence, CowManager NZ will work even harder to deliver the best possible experience for our farmers. As always, we are here to ensure that you’re well-supported and prepared for whatever comes next in your dairy operation.

We look forward to continuing our journey together and working with you to achieve even greater success.

About CowManager

At CowManager, we are committed to providing dairy farmers with the tools they need to succeed. Our revolutionary cow monitoring ear sensors help farmers stay ahead with actionable insights on herd health, nutrition, fertility, and more. Whether you have 20 or 125,000 cows, CowManager ensures that farmers always have eyes on their herd. Learn more at www.cowmanager.com/newzealand.

1: Set Mating Goals

Before you kick off mating season, take a minute to decide what your main mating goals are. Are you looking to improve genetics, improve milk production or replacement heifers? Narrowing your goals down in advance will help you make informed decisions for breeding and mating.

2: Check on Your Cows

Make sure potentially underperforming cows are on your radar early on so you can still make the adjustments needed to ensure they’ll do well during mating. Unsure? Have your vet or breeding specialist analyse your cows’ performance by adding them in MultiView. CowManager’s Nutrition Module helps you identify at-risk cows up to 50 days before calving.

3: Consider Fertility Testing

Fertility testing your cows can help identify any reproductive issues that may affect their performance during mating season, such as infections or hormonal imbalances. Identifying and addressing these issues beforehand could save you a lot of stress and pain down the road.

4: Prep Your Paddocks

Take time to set the mood and make sure your cows will be comfortable. Ensure that your mating paddocks are in good condition and provide adequate shelter and clean water for your cows.

5: Develop a Mating Plan

A well-thought-out breeding plan is key to achieve your goals. Consider factors such as timing, synchronization protocols, available staff, and the selection of appropriate sires. Have plan Bs at the ready in case of any contingencies, such as weather disruptions.

6: Keep Track of Everything

Keep detailed records of everything leading up to, during, and after mating season. Record mating dates, sire information, and any fertility testing results. This will help you analyse results and help identify risks, and your future self will be eternally grateful to you for being so thorough. CowManager’s Fertility Insights helps you keep detailed records of all your cows’ cycles.

7: Monitor Heat Detection

Go for success: Rely on CowManager’s Fertility Module and never miss a heat. Make sure all cows are tagged with the ear sensor so you can recognise peak heats, pregnancies, non-cycling cows and potential abortions. Make sure your entire staff knows which alerts to look out for and give them access to the system by simply adding their email addresses in MultiView.

“We’ve increased our six week in calf rate by about 15%, so we’ve gone up to 78% in our six week in calf rate. Our empty rate has dropped from about 24% down to 13%. It’s quite substantial, yeah. We’re also picking up those silent heats that we weren’t able to pick up beforehand.” – Mike Marshall, Otago farmer. Watch his full story.

8: Keep Your Herd Healthy

A healthy herd equals a healthy base to build your breeding season upon. Work closely with your vet and team to make sure your cows are as healthy as possible before breeding season begins and throughout, and make sure your cows are getting the nutrition they need to be successful. CowManager’s Health Module can help you monitor health as well as discovery.

9: Make Sure You’re Up to Date

Make sure the systems you use are updated to the newest version available before the season starts. This goes for your cow monitoring system, your herd management system, as well as your drafting gate. Good to know: If you’re using CowManager and some ear sensors are close to underperforming, the system will alert you of this months in advance.

“Basically, CowManager finds a cow on heat and the gate drafts them out after the morning milkings. With the two systems we’re saving a labour unit over mating, that’s for sure. Nobody needs to think about anything, really.” – Ruurd Dijkstra, Waikato farmer. Discover the full story.

10: Be Willing to Make Changes

A prepared farmer is a successful farmer, but sometimes life throws us curveballs. Be prepared to make last-minute adjustments to your plan if any unforeseen weather or health conditions pop up. Just make sure to keep monitoring closely and keep detailed records.

Ear Sensors: A No-Brainer

Choosing CowManager’s ear sensor system was a ‘no-brainer’ for Cameron, who had been through the full round of visual heat detection systems; putting stickers on cows in a herringbone, which posed occupational health and safety risks for staff. It also meant they had to work with fixed time systems, which didn’t really add up with a small herd.

“I liked the ease of the ear tags but one of the clinchers for choosing CowManager was that Paul (Quinlan, from World Wide Sires Australia) got a personalised quote through to us in just four hours.”

That meant they were able to apply immediately for a government digital technology grant which paid for around 50 percent of the installation cost of the CowManager system. For the family, this made all the difference.

“The grants go out the door pretty fast, so Paul’s quick response made it possible for us to get an application in and receive the grant.”

Keeping Dairy Cows Healthy

Since using the CowManager system, the Bawdens have relied on the Health Module to keep their dairy cows healthy, and have let the Fertility Module guide them through reproduction. They’re well aware of the other modules and extra functionalities, but haven’t had a chance to try them out yet.

“If anything, I would say we are probably not using CowManager to its full potential yet, but we are definitely getting good value for our dairy cows and for ourselves.”

Paul and Cameron installed the ear tags and set up the solar routers around the farm. The system integrates easily with their management system, EasyDairy. One of the benefits of the integration between CowManager and EasyDairy is that there is only one set of data to be input and this is updated once a day.

“CowManager links in very easily for small herds with little automation”, Cameron says. The Bawdens use CowManager mainly for heat detection and cow health alerts.

“I learned very early on to believe the health alerts”, Cameron tells. “At first, when a cow went down, CowManager sent an alert, and I did not act quickly enough. But now, if we’re away, it’s all on the iPhone. If we get a health alert on a cow, we can advise the worker which cow to check.”

He continues: “If we suspect a health problem ourselves, we can check the cow’s health and its rumination in the CowManager system to confirm.”

Saving Time and Money on Repro

Heat detection has also become more precise using CowManager and once again, the system can be used to meet their lifestyle choice, as well as improving in-calf rates and making savings on semen.

Since installing CowManager, Cameron says they have halved their semen use. The system tells them exactly when to inseminate, which saves the family a lot of time and product.

“One of the advantages with CowManager is that it gives us optimum timing for joining. This is critical when we’re using sexed semen. In other situations, I can decide whether to use conventional or sexed if I know I’m going to be at basketball. That way, we can work the joining around our lifestyle and optimise our chance of a pregnancy.”

Although he has not ‘crunched the numbers’ on CowManager, Cameron knows they are getting cows in calf quicker. This is because he can look on his phone, check the cow and mate her at the optimum time, ensuring more successful pregnancies.

Enjoying More Family Time

One big benefit for the Bawdens is being able to always keep an eye on their dairy cows with CowManager, while enjoying time off.

The Bawdens are a ‘sports mad’ family and love going to sporting events. Getting the CowManager system means they’re now able to enjoy their sporting commitments without compromising the success of their dairy business.

Their two daughters, now 10 and 12, play basketball in Gippsland, Melbourne and in other country regions. It’s not unusual for them to play or train every night of the week and on weekends. Ainsley, the older of the two, is now in the state development program and Cameron also coaches, having been a talented junior basketballer.

“We have one full time and one part time employee,” Cameron says. “The full timer milks in the evenings and that allows us to go to basketball with the kids.”

He continues: “We both enjoy being with the kids and watching them play. CowManager has allowed us to be on the go with the kids five nights a week, and on weekends, when we do a lot of travelling.”

Dairy News Australia

This article was written by Richard Meredith and previously published by Dairy News Australia.

Our promises to you:

A partnership with CowManager is more than just business; it’s a lifelong commitment. Just like in a marriage, we stand by our farmers day and night. Consider CowManager your dairy farming partner. What we promise is a strong partnership!

• Just like in a marriage, where trust and understanding are key, our ear sensors ensure you’re always in tune with your herd.
• We’re your friend in the field. From tech-savvy solutions to good old-fashioned local advice. Whether you’re tackling tough seasons or celebrating improved results. We’re here for you, 24/7. With local support always at your fingertips, we’re committed to making your farm management as smooth as possible.
• Our lifetime warranty is more than a promise. It’s a commitment to your success. We’re by your side, every step of the way to build a long lasting partnership. Ready to invest in your future dairy cow management?
• We’re all ears. Your needs shape our solutions. Building relationships comes first, so we can keep developing products you actually need. We launch bi-weekly updates, based on your suggestions and feedback. From new system features to local support and personalized advice, we’ve got your back.
• With seamless integration with herd management systems worldwide, you’ll never have to worry about duplicate entries or edits.
• We help you optimize your dairy operations, boost on-farm efficiency, and make sure your herd thrives. And it’s because of your cows’ data and feedback from the field that we’re able to continuously improve. Together, we can do better!

Let’s get to know each other, and discover each other’s strengths and unique qualities. So we can grow and evolve together, face challenges and celebrate victories. We’re here to build a partnership that lasts.

Ready to partner up?

During his first year of using the ear sensor cow monitoring system, Ben mainly focused on learning about the system and how to incorporate the cow data into his daily work.

“I’d heard from people who had it talk about what you can get out of it. But, now that I’ve had it, even what they’ve said, there’s more benefits than that,” he says. He’s hoping that the next season will have further improvements as he learns more about the Nutrition Module. This monitoring module sends users alerts for heat stress, group health issues, feed intake and transition problems.

“I didn’t really want to flood myself with too much information in that first year, but that’s helped hugely with actually watching the cows and how they transition. Some can be right up there with their rumination within five-six days, some might take two-three weeks,” he says.

Mating Made Easier – and Safer

Within the first two seasons of using CowManager, Ben says they’ve found benefits in monitoring cow health, and reducing bobby calves and stress over mating. Mating has been much simpler, and Ben says an unexpected benefit was not needing bulls at all. According to Ben, his staff are safer, his herd is less stressed, and costs are reduced as he doesn’t need to feed bulls.

They’ve been able to target more animals with sexed semen and be more specific with which cows they put to beef, which means they’ve been reducing bobby calf numbers too.

“It’s given us the option to AI all the way through without having to spend ten weeks standing on the AB stand picking cows,” he says.

In New Zealand CowManager is supplied and supported locally by CowManager NZ. This makes a huge difference for Ben, who loves the collaboration with the team.

“They’re a really good team. Any issues they pick up the phone or they’re back in touch within the day. I had issues with my computer through mating, and they were out here first thing in the morning, worked out it was the computer, and had a new computer set up within four hours. You can’t fault that. If I can’t work it out, I know they’re a phone call away.”

Farming Proactively with Actionable Alerts

Ben experienced first-hand how CowManager can help you practice proactive farming through health alerts. The module catches diseases early and tracks recovery in close detail. After getting a health alert for a cow and thinking it couldn’t be right, Ben found that same cow down just a couple of hours later.

“I thought I knew better, turns out I didn’t. So, from then on it was like, okay I’ll listen to you,” he says.

Since then, he has turned from reactive farming to proactive farming using CowManager alerts to stay ahead of health issues before they become costly and time consuming.

“I probably do bag slightly more cows than I used to. I’ll just look through CowManager and if there’s anything that looks like it’s going to go down, they’ll just get a bag under the skin, and it just takes away any issues I have. Very, very seldom do I have a cow down.”

Ben says the cost of treating more cows to prevent them from going down is nothing compared to the cost savings in time if you have to put those cows in hip lifters.

“I only had one I had to lift with the hip lifters this season. That’s a huge thing, but even using more bags is cheap in the scheme of things than if you have a down cow and you’re having to spend five hours with her a day.”

An Invaluable Extra Hand

Another thing the system has helped with is staffing, particularly around mating time when having enough staff is critical. The Auto Drafting functionality and Fertility Module are his main mating tools and help keep mating going, even if there’s a staff issue.

“You can have that ability where if you do have someone sick through mating, your cows still get drafted, everything gets done still. It helps hugely with that side of things,” Ben says.

More than anything, Ben says that a valuable part of the system is the time that it saves, and he’s excited to keep adding on to what he’s already learned in the next season with the system.

When asked what he would tell another farmer considering CowManager, Ben says: “Don’t hesitate. What you get out of it is invaluable, it’s unreal the data you get.”

Clear

The innovative system converts the collected cow data into clear graphs and alerts that are immediately available in a single overview. The dashboard also integrates our updated ‘insemination moment’, which displays the expected optimal insemination moment of the cow.

Customization

You can create a personalized overview using the drag-and-drop option. This allows you to put together your personal home screen, so it perfectly suits your priorities and working method. Moreover, this customized screen can be set as the default home page.

Trial Period

We offer a convenient option for inactive modules: To try out a different module, you can request a free trial period with just a single click.

More Information

• For information or questions about the dashboard, please send an email to support@cowmanager.com.
• Or check out more information on our Knowledge Base.

From Tradition to Technology

When it comes to cow monitoring systems, the decision-making can be daunting. Options are endless and methods vary. We’ve got rumen boluses, leg sensors, collars, ear sensors, among many others. All claiming to be most effective, most of them using the same core parameters for measuring herd health and fertility: Behavior, (in)activity, rumination time and eating time. One of the more unique parameters that sets cow monitoring solutions apart in terms of around the clock monitoring, group comparisons and cow health seems to be ear temperature, obviously only used in ear sensors. Which leads to the question: What is the added value of measuring a cow’s ear temperature? Does it really make a difference?

Let’s take a step back first and look at what traditions led to that technology. Because even the most innovative farming technology ideas stem from so-called ‘old farmer’s wisdom’. For instance, herd managers used to have to keep an eye on cows’ visual behavioral indicators for hours a day to see if she was displaying signs of heat behavior.

As for ear temperature, back in the day, whenever dairy farmers wanted to make sure a cow was feeling well, they would feel her ears to check for a change in temperature. Having to physically be among your herd nearly 24/7 to be able to tell if something is the matter or to spot a window of opportunity, is something we can’t imagine nowadays. And it’s something we can’t afford to do anymore, with the number of livestock and production increasing in most Western countries over the past decades[1], while number of staff members are declining due to labor issues.

Effective Diagnostic Tool

Iowa State University in the United States also wondered if ear temperature would really make a difference. They did a peer reviewed study on monitoring behavior as well as temperature, in 2017[2]. In their study, they focused on cow data collected by an ear sensor system at the ISU Dairy.

Ear temperature is not comparable to core temperature, as ear temperature experiences daily variation based on external temperatures. In winter, ear temperature never reaches freezing and during summer hot weather, never goes above 95-98 °F / 35-36,67 °C. Because of this, one outstanding benefit and aspect of ear temperature monitoring is that an individual animal is tracked and graphed simultaneously with the group ear temperature average. This allows dairy farmers and staff to compare one cow to the herd’s average.

Whenever a cow gets an infection, the blood in the ears moves to vital organs. When tracking ear temperature, you catch this change early on, potentially saving yourself and the monitored cow a lot of problems further down the road. Being able to measure ear temperature on group level, combined with measuring deviations in behavior, is one of the most effective ways to catch heat stress early. Ear temperature as an added parameter allows farmers to assess their heat abatement strategy in a more effective way as well as spot lesser performing cows in the herd, therefore adding significant value to their herd management.

According to the study, the evidence of ear hypothermia is an effective diagnostic tool for significant health events. Or, as they cite in their research findings; a ‘problem indicator’.

Anticipating Cows’ Needs

Jeffrey S. Stevenson, a professor at the Department of Animal Sciences and Industry at Kansas State University, specializes in the reproduction physiology of the bovine. In one of his latest articles[3], he studied the added value of ear temperature in cow monitoring. He states that late gestational ear-surface temperatures were associated with some postpartum health disorders and modifications in daily eating, ruminating, and active times during the transition period of gravid heifers and dry cows.

In other words: Including ear temperature as one of the parameters in cow monitoring technology provides dairy farmers, AI specialists, veterinarians, and nutritionists with even more precise herd information. It’s not only an early indicator for several health issues, but also a tool to monitor recovery. It’s an added layer of real-time cow monitoring and a valuable indicator for making fact-based improvements to your herd management, helping dairy professionals to recognize potential issues or opportunities before they’re observable by the human eye.

Sources

• [1] Hannah Ritchie and Max Roser (2022) – “Farm Size and Productivity”. Published online at OurWorldInData.org. Retrieved from: ‘https://ourworldindata.org/farm-size’ [Online Resource]
• [2] Corujo, G. & Timms, L. L., (2017) “Uses of an Ear Tag Based Behavioral and Temperature Monitoring System (Cow ManagerR) at the ISU Dairy”, Iowa State University Animal Industry Report 14(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/ans_air-180814-391
• [3] J.S. Stevenson (2022) – “Late-gestation ear-surface temperatures and subsequent postpartum health, activity, milk yield, and reproductive performance of dairy cows”. Published online at sciencedirect.com. Retrieved from: ‘https://doi.org/10.1016/j.theriogenology.2022.01.022‘ [Online Resource]

Waipiri Holsteins has been an active farm since 1903. About three to four generations of David’s family has been running the business. “We’re extremely proud of that”, he says. The farm consists of about 300 hectares of productive land. All family members are very active on-farm and passionate about the business. David’s oldest son Alex runs the day-to-day stuff and gets the milk shipped out every day. The youngest son Dean’s focus is on the genetic selection and import and export of embryos.

David is grateful to run a large family dairy operation and doesn’t take their farm for granted. “We’re extremely fortunate. Owning a property like this without serious family backing is nigh-on-impossible these days”, he says. He says his sons are the future of Waipiri Holsteins. “One of the goals is creating a nice environment for the next generation. I suppose, like our forebears, you’re the caretaker of the land for your given working lifetime. You hand it on to the next and hope they are every bit as productive as you’ve been.”

Early Introduction to Cow Technology

In the early eighties David worked on an award-winning dairy farm in Scotland, where they used collar technology, which was quite rare for the time. For him, it marked the beginning of his love for innovation. “That’s where the interest grew”, he explains.

“There were always issues with the collars”, David says. “Everybody will tell you the same stories, the odd cow getting caught up or whatever, they get twisted, they rub. Then a cow loses a lot of weight and gets really, really clean around the neck and shoulder area, so they become little bit loose. And modern Holsteins flesh up very quickly once you dry them off, and then they become too tight.”

This also resulted in a lot of extra work for the staff, having to check and readjust collars all the time. David knew there had to be a better way. “I always thought that perhaps there was a better compact way of getting a stream of information to us.”

Choosing Ear Tags

When David was in Europe in 2008, he saw a cow monitoring ear tag for the first time, and everything clicked. “I thought it was right up my alley. It gave a really good information stream on cow health and coming on heat and that sort of thing. I started following it and it eventually led me to CowManager. It was just a judgement call that I thought that this was where it was going.”

It’s been over seven years since they put the first CowManager tag in, and David’s still excited about the results and day to day use of the system. “It’s a small tag and we very, very rarely ever lose one. The information stream we’ve been getting off it is tremendous. For me it’s been a win-win situation. We had 50% of the herd tagged to start with and now we’ve got 100%. And we’ll keep it that way.”

“I get so much from it”

Alex comments on how easy to use the ear sensors are. “When you go to cull a cow or sell a cow, you walk it in and you get the tag out. It’s a five second job, it’s super quick. And then you just de-link and you chuck it on the next one. It’s very easy.”

David responds, saying: “You get rid of one that’s run out of battery power. And then you get a new one. I’m happy with that deal. I do deals every week, and that’s one of the better ones I do. For me, there’s a lot of real winning arguments here. In fact, it’s not an argument, it’s very simple for me. I get so much from it.”

For Waipiri Holsteins, the use of tech has made a ton of difference. “If you’re presented with these opportunities, to use this technology, you’ve just got to be smart and use it. I’m not really smart, and yet I still can run with the system and the guys just run with it every single day”, David says.

He has never been keen on endorsing companies. In fact, it’s something he chose not to do in the past. But speaking about and recommending CowManager is different for him. “I just see this as something that makes farmers’ lives a lot easier.”