Peyton Fernandes was recently featured in the March issue of California Dairy. In the cover story, he shared how adopting CowManager technology has helped transform productivity and deliver measurable returns on his family’s operation.
Fernandes works alongside his father and brother at Legendairy Farms, a 4,500-head Jersey dairy operation. Although the farm has been using CowManager for just over a year, the results have already been significant. According to Fernandes, the system has generated a 25% return on investment with an additional $30.50 in income per cow.
A key driver of that return is improved reproductive performance. CowManager has increased pregnancy detection rates by 6% and improved heat detection accuracy by 8%, helping the farm team identify more cows at the right time. Actual conception is up 4% because CowManager provides a more precise window for insemination. With the cow monitoring system, the average number of open days has decreased from 109 to 105, saving about $4 per cow per day.
California Dairy highlighted how these gains translate into real operational benefits. Improved conception rates are just one piece of the puzzle. Fernandes also reports saving $3,742 in veterinary costs by reducing the need for manual pregnancy checks, as CowManager detects if a cow is pregnant. Labor efficiency has improved as well, freeing up time for other priorities on the farm.
Perhaps the most impactful benefit, however, is herd longevity. By identifying health issues earlier, Fernandes is able to treat cows sooner and avoid unnecessary culling. Combined with stronger breeding efficiency, these improvements create compounding value across the operation.
Technology also plays a growing role in improving labor efficiency at Legendairy Farms. Fernandes currently uses a CowManager scanner and wand system that sends real-time cow data directly to his phone while cows are in stanchions, helping him quickly identify animals that need attention. Looking ahead, he plans to implement an automatic sorting gate to further reduce labor and minimize lock-up times. “For every 30 minutes they’re on their feet when they shouldn’t be, they produce one to two pounds less milk,” said Fernandes.
“CowManager pays for itself in breeding alone,” Fernandes noted in the article. “It has made our life a lot easier for sure.”
As more dairy producers look to improve efficiency, animal health and profitability, this real-world example highlights the practical impact of integrating smart technology into everyday operations.
This article was previously published in the March 2026 issue of California Dairy.
Inseminating 10 to 22 hours after receiving a heat alert is known to be a success. This makes mating and breeding a breeze!
Get alerted immediately when a cow isn't ruminating or eating, and intervene proactively. Pick up on diseases like mastitis and ketosis in an early stage.
Your cow's ears are full of vital information. Monitor their rumination, eating, inactivity, activity, ear temperature, and high active behavior.
In a recent issue of Hoard’s Dairyman, five dairy producers from across the country shared how they are using technology to gain insights for disease prevention and early detection. The common theme: identifying issues sooner leads to better outcomes for both cows and the bottom line.
Notably, three of the featured operations rely on CowManager to deliver actionable herd insights: Daystar Dairy (Little Falls, Minn.), Pleasant Dutch Dairy (Willow Lake, S.D.), and Valadao Dairy (Hanford, Calif.). While their experience with the system ranges from less than a year to nearly a decade, all report similar results, including more efficient management and measurable performance gains.
Owned and operated by Dave and Sara Jane Brutscher and their sons, Jesse and Paul, Daystar Dairy is an 800-cow Holstein herd. After nearly a decade with CowManager, the family has benefited by integrating data into their daily decision-making process. They emphasized that the cow monitoring system helps guide breeding, culling, feeding and herd health protocols.
Their goals when implementing the cow monitoring system were clear: improve efficiency, strengthen management, and enhance margins. With better visibility into herd health and behavior, they are able to make more informed, timely decisions that support those objectives.
At Pleasant Dutch Dairy, the family partnership is led by John and Linda Vande Weerd along with their sons Alan, Mike, and Nick. They manage 2,500 cows across three sites. After implementing CowManager almost a year ago, the team quickly began leveraging its insights to improve both herd care and labor efficiency.
By reviewing daily data and responding quickly to health alerts, they can address issues earlier—often before visible symptoms appear. The ability to customize alerts based on their own farm data allows them to fine-tune their approach, helping reduce disease incidence and culling rates while making better use of employee time and expertise.
Eduardo and Maria Valadao, along with their son Mike, operate a 2,100-cow Holstein herd. They initially adopted CowManager for heat detection, but soon realized broader benefits as they became more familiar with the system.
Today, they are able to identify cows at risk of health issues, such as clinical mastitis, before symptoms appear. The cow monitoring system’s impact has been significant, including improved fertility and a reduction in culling rates from 6.5% to 3.8%. Mike also credits CowManager with helping them through an HPAI (Bird flu) event, allowing them to intervene sooner and monitor recovery.
Despite differences in herd size, management style, and length of use, all three dairies report similar advantages from using CowManager:
While each producer emphasized the value of CowManager, they also noted that technology is not a replacement for skilled employees or sound management practices. Instead, it serves as a powerful tool to enhance both.
They also stressed the importance of evaluating any new technology to ensure it delivers measurable value and supports overall operational goals. For these three operations, CowManager has proven to be more than just a monitoring system—it’s a decision-making tool that supports healthier cows, more efficient teams, and stronger financial performance.
A longer version of this article has previously been published by Hoard’s Dairyman.
Year one with CowManager is often about trust. Year two is about unlocking potential.
Once CowManager is installed, producers spend the first several months learning the alerts, understanding the technology, and building confidence in the system. The CowManager ear sensors measure behavior and temperature. Based on this data, both individual and group alerts are calculated.
The dashboard is an easy-to-use visual representation of real-time data, designed to simplify daily routines. All relevant alerts and insights are displayed in one place through various widgets. The onboarding process ensures producers know how to respond to alerts and leverage the basics.
Year two is where proactive management, integration with farm management software, and team consistency turn insights into measurable impact. Here’s how top dairies make that shift.
After year one, the real value emerges when integration deepens between CowManager and on-farm systems, including farm management software. These integrations increase efficiency by reducing double entry and streamlining workflows.
For example, CowManager integrates with herd management and farm management software to synchronize cow data and monitor compliance more effectively, ensuring farm protocols are consistently followed. When pregnancy check results are integrated into herd-management software, it becomes easier to identify discrepancies in protocol execution.
The level of impact depends on herd size and management style, but nearly every dairy can unlock value by advancing these integrations.
Compliance is not just about following protocols, it is about protecting profitability. Too often, basic compliance such as tag maintenance gets overlooked. Low batteries on multiple tags can compromise accuracy and trust in the system, no different than missing steps in a breeding protocol.
Consider this: What if an employee skipped part of the Ovsynch sequence? Breeding effectiveness would plummet, leading to more days open, lower conception rates, and ultimately higher costs. By monitoring alerts and compliance through CowManager, these breakdowns can be caught early.
CowManager data allows tracking of historic heats and real-time compliance. When combined with farm management software, this data becomes even more valuable for decision-making.
For example, if three open cows showed heat alerts but were not inseminated before the next vet check, how would that affect palpation rates? If heat alerts were correlated with insemination records in farm management software, how many days open could be saved? These “what if” analyses highlight not only the cost of inaction but the profitability of improved compliance.
Producers should ensure optimal utilization of Fertility Insights by reviewing management settings within the CowManager web application. Parameters such as average cycle lengths, deviations from norms, and voluntary waiting periods can be customized to align with specific herd requirements.
The same concept applies to health. What if a review of cows that were sold or died, using insights from CowManager and farm management software, revealed missed sick alerts? What if transition cows were managed by listening to eating minutes instead of relying solely on pen moves?
With CowManager, producers can “listen to the cows.” For example, eating-time data in the fresh pen can identify at-risk animals before visible symptoms. These proactive shifts can reduce treatment costs, improve survival, and shorten recovery times.
Tools within CowManager help detect transition diseases such as ketosis and mastitis up to 50 days before calving. This simplifies transition management, especially when symptoms are difficult to detect naturally. With 75% of adult-cow diseases occurring in the first 30 days after calving, early intervention makes a significant difference.
Symptoms of ketosis, such as loss of appetite, weight loss, and sweet-smelling breath, are difficult to detect early without monitoring. Likewise, early signs of mastitis, including swelling, heat, or hardness in the udder, are easily missed, especially in large herds. Mastitis severely affects milk production, making early identification critical to both animal health and business performance.
The dairies that have the most success with CowManager use it as part of a broader team strategy, often alongside farm management software. Consultants, veterinarians, and nutritionists are brought into the data conversation.
After year one, involving this advisory team becomes even more valuable. Together, they shape protocols, adapt management practices, and find new efficiencies that drive profitability.
The difference between “working” and “winning” often lies in consistency. Employees must interpret alerts the same way every time. Multiview enables consultants, veterinarians, and nutritionists to participate, turning individual data points into shared strategies.
Simple SOPs for common alerts ensure that whether it is heat detection or a sick-cow alert, everyone knows the next step.
CowManager also offers opportunities to connect cow data with genetics. By analyzing how specific genetic indexes correlate with health alerts, alongside data from farm management software, producers can identify traits linked to stronger performance.
This influences both current herd decisions and future breeding strategies.
Year one establishes trust in CowManager. Year two is where real potential is unlocked through integration, compliance, data-driven protocols, and team collaboration. By moving from reactive to proactive management, dairies shift from simply using alerts to truly transforming herd performance.
CowManager works. The question is: Are you using it to its full potential?
Talk with your CentralStar team about CowManager and how to unlock its full potential.
Author: Jared Krull, Vice President of Sales & Service, CowManager North America
Connect with a CowManager expert like Jared Krull to unlock more value from your herd data and farm management software.
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At MacKenzie Farming in South Africa, dairy is a true family operation. Now in its fourth and fifth generations, the MacKenzie family runs a progressive dairy business with approx. 800 milking cows and youngstock bread alongside the forestry side of the business.
With fertility performance critical to profitability, the team recognized that traditional heat detection methods were limiting their results. After discovering CowManager at a large herd conference, they decided to implement the system; and quickly saw transformative results.
For the MacKenzie team, one of the most significant challenges in dairy fertility was accurate heat detection.
“Heat spotting has always been one of the biggest bottlenecks” they explain. “You simply can’t manage what you don’t know about.” Since installing CowManager two years ago, the change has been immediate and dramatic. “It was a night-and-day scenario. Suddenly we were finding all these cows on heat. We’re inseminating cows exactly when CowManager tells us.”
CowManager’s precise heat timing allows the team to inseminate at the optimal moment, a key factor in improving conception rates. “We haven’t missed a heat,” they say. “We’re now getting cows pregnant at 80 to 90 days. That puts you in a different league.” Even weekend inseminations, previously uncommon, have increased significantly, with record numbers of cows identified for breeding at the right time.
Operating in South Africa means dealing with tropical and subtropical diseases, many of which cause temperature spikes. CowManager’s advanced ear temperature and behavior monitoring helps the team distinguish between environmental heat stress and genuine illness.
“The health side of CowManager is in a league of its own. It’s identifying cows that are sick; it’s just amazing how it works.” Early detection has significantly improved herd health outcomes. “The earlier you can pick up that something’s wrong, the better your results are going to be. We’re able to intervene way sooner with a sick cow that would normally not be seen.”
The team follows a strict daily protocol, reviewing activity and health lists each morning and closely monitoring flagged cows post-treatment. “Definitely the herd health has improved because we’re intervening much earlier.”
CowManager integrates seamlessly into daily farm routines. Data from their herd management system syncs each morning, providing up-to-date insights before the workday begins. “All these tools just make working on the farm and making decisions a whole lot easier. Having all the information enables us to make informed decisions at the right time.”
Even team members who do not work in the dairy daily find the system intuitive and easy to use. “There’s no guesswork. It’s a case of you are now in total control.” Staff engagement has also increased, with the team fully adopting and utilizing the system.
For the MacKenzie family, CowManager has delivered measurable improvements in fertility, herd health, and operational efficiency. “It’s a game changer. The reward is immense.”
With clear performance gains and no hesitation in recommending the system, the MacKenzie family sees CowManager as a critical tool in maintaining a competitive, future-focused dairy operation. “I’d have no hesitation in recommending CowManager to other dairy farmers. It’s delivered the results we were looking for.”
Our lightweight sensor is designed to last a lifetime, offering a seamless and continuous monitoring solution tailored to your specific farm and your cow's life phase.
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Get alerted immediately when a cow isn't ruminating or eating, and intervene proactively. Pick up on diseases like mastitis and ketosis in an early stage.
Managing large dairies requires tools that are reliable, easy to use, and deliver real results. For Steven Schaap and his family at Pleasant Hill Dairy, CowManager has become a key part of running an efficient operation across multiple facilities.
“One good thing with the CowManager, it was a simple program that the employees were able to integrate and utilize, and they were able to understand it very easily,” says Steven.
Pleasant Hill Dairy milks roughly 4,000 cows and uses CowManager’s Sort my Cow to streamline daily operations. Additionally, there are two other dairy sites with 4,000 cows in the family using CowManager.
As the operations looked toward the future, especially automation and sort gate integration, Steven saw cow monitoring as a way to improve efficiency without adding complexity.
At this location, CowManager ear tags are used mainly for the Health, Fertility, and Nutrition modules, helping the team make faster, more informed decisions every day.
“We’ve seen better milk production, and I think that’s mainly attributed to the less time the cows are locked up and standing in the feed lanes,” comments Steven. By pairing CowManager data with sort gates, the dairy has also improved labor efficiency and herd workflows.
“We’ve been able to utilize our labor in a different way that is more efficient since using the sort gates now. The veterinarian checks have been getting done about two hours earlier than what they used to,” says Steven.
For Steven, ease of use is what makes CowManager a strong fit for large dairies. “The interface is convenient, it’s easy to use on your phone, and the ear tags are simple. That’s why I’d recommend CowManager to other dairy producers, especially larger operations.”
Keeping cows healthy, productive, and easy to manage can sometimes feel like juggling in the wind. That’s why more and more farmers are turning to cow monitoring technology — and according to Terang farmer Trevor Uebergang, it’s one of the best decisions he’s ever made.
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?’”
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.”
In Australia, CowManager is distributed and supported by World Wide Sires Australia. No one knows the system better than they do. Want to know more? Don’t hesitate to reach out. They’re excited to discuss cow monitoring with you and answer any questions you may have.
Contact the TeamOne 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.
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.
This article was previously published by Dairy News Australia.
View cycling and fertility history in Fertility Insights and see if a cow is suited to be mated to sexed semen.
Get alerted immediately when a cow isn't ruminating or eating, and intervene proactively. Pick up on diseases like mastitis and ketosis in an early stage.
Divide your workload more efficiently thanks to real-time alerts. Focus on the right cow at the right time and be able to spend more time off-farm.
A new year on the farm doesn’t start with big promises. It starts with feeding cows, watching behavior, making breeding decisions, and trying to stay ahead of problems before they cost time, money, or affect animal health.
CowManager Farmer Stories are built on real, day-to-day use of the system – across different herd sizes, farming systems, climates, and countries.
At the end of 2025, many farmers let us know how they like working with CowManager. By sharing their feedback with us, we continue to tailor our service to their needs. And by sharing these voices, farmers can learn from each other and make better-informed decisions for their own operations.
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.
Want to read more real farmer experiences? Visit cowmanager.com/farmer-stories and see how dairy farmers around the world use CowManager to stay ahead of the herd. Or check out the CowManager YouTube channel for more Farmer Stories videos.
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.”
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.
Come meet us at many dairy events this year! We’d love to connect and discuss all things cow monitoring. You can find our CowManager Specialists at events all over the globe. Check out our dairy events calendar for 2026.
At Pole Farming Limited in the UK, dairy farmer Nik Pole manages a high-performing dairy operation alongside his family, who run the pig division of the business.
With 500 cows milked three times a day in a fully housed system, maintaining optimal cow health, fertility, and efficiency is essential.
After extensive research and farm visits, Nik chose CowManager as the herd monitoring system that best met the needs of his operation. “Everywhere I looked, CowManager stood above all the other systems.”
Before installing CowManager, Nik compared several herd management and cow monitoring solutions on the market. His goal was to find a system that delivered accurate heat detection, reliable health monitoring, and actionable insights, without adding complexity to daily routines.
“It ended up not even being a close race,” Nik says. “Everywhere I looked, CowManager stood above all the other systems.”
After four years of using CowManager, Pole Farming Limited has seen clear improvements in reproductive performance:
CowManager’s precise heat detection and continuous cow behavior monitoring have played a key role in these results.
“CowManager picks up pretty much everything,” says Nik. “Even the heats and illnesses we don’t spot ourselves, it finds them.”
Early detection is critical for effective cow health management, especially when dealing with mastitis and other illnesses. CowManager’s real-time health alerts allow Nik and his team to intervene quickly and reduce stress on both cows and staff.
“If you leave a cow for even 12 hours, you’re often fighting an uphill battle. The quicker you find it, the less stress on the cow, and us,” explains Nik. “CowManager gives us that crucial head start.”
Even after recently switching back to sand bedding following 10 years on RMS, during which mastitis alerts were more frequent, CowManager continues to provide consistent and reliable early warnings, helping the team maintain herd health efficiently.
CowManager is fully embedded into daily operations at Pole Farming Limited. Every staff member uses the CowManager app via MultiView, enabling fast communication and immediate action, whether Nik is on the farm or away.
“The app on your phone is brilliant. I very rarely use the PC. It’s just so easy,” Nik says. “When I’m away, I can check in on the cows, and if there’s an issue, I can call the team immediately.”
Installation was equally efficient: “We tagged every cow in one afternoon after milking”
With proven results in cow health monitoring, fertility management, and ease of use, Nik has no hesitation recommending CowManager to other dairy farmers.
“I’ve recommended it to everyone I’ve crossed paths with. There are a lot of tech systems out there now, but I always say the same thing: Put in CowManager. It’s simple, effective, and anyone can use it.”
Interested in how CowManager can improve cow health, fertility, and daily efficiency on your farm? Explore more customer stories or discover how CowManager works for your dairy operation.
Ready to take the next step? Whether you’re managing a large dairy herd or looking to grow your operation, CowManager can help you monitor, manage, and maximise your herd’s potential. In the United Kingdom, CowManager is distributed and supported by World Wide Sires. No one knows the system better than them.
Get in TouchL-R: Chris Sigurdson, CEO SSMC; Brandon Thesing, Key Account Manager SSMC; Dan Curtin, Schaap’s SSMC Sales Representative; Thijs Griffioen, CowManager; Jared Krull, CowManager; Alexander van Tienhoven, CowManager.
December 18, 2025 – CowManager, a global leader in smart cow monitoring solutions, recently recognized its CowManager Success Story of the Year, Up and Coming CowManager Specialist, CowManager Specialist of the Year, and the Dr. Ray Nebel Legacy Award winner during the winter CowManager Training Summit.
“It is an honor to recognize these award winners and share their success stories,” says Gerard Griffioen, founder of CowManager. “Our partnership with Select Sires allows us to collaborate with industry leaders and exceptional U.S. dairy producers. We are proud to take part in this summit and celebrate those who exceed expectations.”
Schaap Dairies, based in Eastern New Mexico and the Texas Panhandle, has been named the 2025 CowManager Success Story of the Year. The Schaap Family Dairy network includes three operations—Pleasant Hill Dairy, High Lonesome Dairy and North Point Dairy—collectively managing about 20,000 cows.
The dairies first experienced CowManager through an XL Program trial and have since fully implemented the system, including the company’s sort-gate technology at all three locations. Since then, they’ve seen notable improvements in pregnancy, conception and heat-detection rates, resulting in stronger overall reproductive performance.
Carson Hillberg of Select Sires Members Cooperative in California has been named the 2025 Up-and-Coming CowManager Specialist. Hillberg was recognized for consistently going above and beyond for both colleagues and customers, exemplifying what it means to be a true team player. He has played a pivotal role in the success of the XL Program, guiding large-herd dairies from initial trials through full adoption.
His contributions extend across several key areas, including CowManager sort gates, calf trials, blinking wand technology and system integrations. Hillberg is also on track to finish near the top of the leaderboard for tag sales in 2025.
L-R: Thijs Griffioen, CowManager; Dr Ray Nebel; Brandon Thesing, Key Account Manager SSMC; Chris Sigurdson, CEO SSMC; Jared Krull, CowManager; Alexander van Tienhoven, CowManager.
L-R: Tom Stigter, CowManager; Thijs Griffioen, CowManager; Jared Krull, CowManager; Alexander van Tienhoven, CowManager.
Matt Staner of CentralStar Cooperative in Wisconsin earned the 2025 CowManager Specialist of the Year Award. This award honors Stef Booijink and is given annually to a Specialist who demonstrates exceptional system knowledge, extensive installation experience and expert guidance on system integration.
Staner was recognized for his passion for the product, outstanding customer support and meticulous attention to detail. His accomplishments in 2025 include completing six installations, further underscoring his dedication and expertise.
Brandon Thesing of Select Sires Member Coop in Minnesota received the Dr. Ray Nebel Legacy Award. This award honors Ray Nebel, Ph.D., retired vice president of technical services and a driving force behind Select Sires’ partnership with CowManager. Thesing was recognized for his exceptional work ethic, collaborative approach to promoting and selling CowManager, and his commitment to going above and beyond to meet customer needs. A true advocate for the cow monitoring system, he is dedicated to making a meaningful, everyday difference for producers.
In addition, CowManager recognized Jared Krull for his outstanding leadership, dedication and unwavering commitment to excellence. As Vice President of Sales and Service at CowManager USA, Krull has played a pivotal role in driving the company’s growth across the United States.
His strategic vision and hands-on support have helped producers not only adopt CowManager’s technology, but also maximize its value on their operations. His contributions continue to strengthen CowManager’s presence in the U.S. market and elevate the success of producers nationwide.
At CowManager, we believe a successful dairy producer is a prepared dairy producer. With our revolutionary cow monitoring ear sensors, we ensure they’re always ahead and prepared for what’s coming, with actionable insights. We believe in working together to help dairy farmers reach their goals, whatever their ambitions are. Whether they have 20 or 20,000 cows; with CowManager they’ll have eyes on all of them.
In the United States, CowManager is distributed and supported by Select Sires Inc. For more information on CowManager, contact your CowManager Specialist at Select Sires.
In modern Australian dairy farming, staying ahead means doing more than just keeping up. It means being proactive, efficient, and data driven. That’s especially true when managing herd fertility, a task that becomes increasingly complex with year-round calving.
For one family-run farm in Winchelsea, Victoria, the CowManager system has become the backbone of their reproduction strategy. With 600 cows and four calving seasons, James Parish embraced technology to simplify joining, improve health monitoring, and lighten the daily workload.
Running a mixed feeding operation with multiple calving cycles means this farm needs a system that can perform every day of the year.
It’s a pasture-based system but they feed a lot of grain, batch hay and buy local hay in the area to feed the cows and youngstock. They calf four times a year – in February, May, August and November.
The family relies on shared oversight to stay on top of things, made easier by connected tools and shared data.
“Every milking cow has a sensor – we’re at about 600 now. My brother uses the platform and so does my father; we all keep a close eye on the cows together”, James says.
With constant joining and a heavy focus on animal health, they needed a system that would give reliable insights and real-time alerts. CowManager fit the bill.
“We started using the CowManager system 2 years ago. We chose the CowManager sensors for the backup support and because we prefer ear tags over collars.”
Their use of both the Fertility and Health modules allows them to handle reproduction and wellbeing with confidence.
James explains: “The Fertility Module is important because we’re joining all year round, and we just use AI. And the Health Module is important as well for seeing how the cows are eating, and if we have any sick cows.”
He adds: “You get notifications from the app all day so if something happens and it needs your attention; you’ve got all information straight away.”
Integration into existing infrastructure also made the transition seamless.
“CowManager integrates seamlessly with the dairy software. We use Jantec in the dairy and it was as simple as ringing up Jantec to make sure it all works properly. We haven’t had any issues since. The benefit of them being integrated is that all the CowManager alerts go straight into Jantec. So, all of the heat and health alerts automatically come up when we want to draft.”
Get a glimpse of all the benefits and possibilities of using CowManager. A local representative will give you a tour through the system to show you how easy to use our app is and how it monitors your cows 24/7.
Request a Free DemoWhere before, James and his family were relying on visual methods like stickers, they’ve now gone fully digital—and haven’t looked back.
“One of the biggest benefits has been heat detection. We were using stickers beforehand, but after 2 weeks of using both stickers and CowManager, the stickers disappeared. We just rely on the CowManager system now for heats – it’s more accurate.”
The simplicity and clarity of the system’s data makes day-to-day work easier.
“All the data in the system is easy to find and very easy to understand. You can look up individual cows to find pretty much anything. The reports on the pc are really handy as well. It gives you early indications of how many you’ve got in calf, any suspect aborted cows that you can get rechecked.”
And with the added control of sexed semen timing, they can be more strategic in their decisions.
“We use the Insemination Window to select the right cows for sexed semen. If they’re not in the right window and they’re too early, then we’ll not join them in the morning and wait ‘till the PM to join them.”
Frequent calving can increase the risk of health issues, but CowManager’s alerts are helping them act earlier and faster, according to James.
“The health alerts from CowManager are really good. They pick on rumination and eating and can tell you how the cows are performing. But for sick alerts, the temperature alert is the best. It gives you very quick information on whether a cow is actually sick and needs treating.”
This has been especially valuable during calving, when milk fever can strike suddenly.
“Just because we’re calving so often, the temperature alert from CowManager picks up a lot of cases of milk fever. We can see from the phone straight away if a cow is down and needs treating. You get an alert, and you know which cows to look out for. Whereas before CowManager, we were checking every cow individually to make sure that she wasn’t sick.”
With constant calving, intensive feed systems, and a large herd, this Victorian farm shows how digital tools like CowManager are not just convenient, but essential.
“The installation was really easy; it only took about 3 or 4 hours. They (WWS Australia) helped set up all the solar routers and routers and get it all connected.”
With the whole family now involved in managing the herd through a single platform, there’s more confidence in every decision.
“I’d recommend CowManager to anyone who asks what system we’re using, or if anyone has any doubts about getting a system. I’d strongly recommend getting CowManager”, James says.
This article was previously published by Dairy News Australia.
Get alerted immediately when a cow isn't ruminating or eating, and intervene proactively. Pick up on diseases like mastitis and ketosis in an early stage.
Inseminating 10 to 22 hours after receiving a heat alert is known to be a success. This makes mating and breeding a breeze!
Divide your workload more efficiently thanks to real-time alerts. Focus on the right cow at the right time and be able to spend more time off-farm.