Afimilk’s Calving Alert service was recognized for innovation in calving detection at an awards ceremony held during the 2016 World Dairy Expo, marking the third year in a row Afimilk has received the coveted Dairy Herd Management Innovation Award.
Dystocia is a costly and common problem, with studies reporting that up to half of Holstein heifers require intervention from a farmer or veterinarian during labor. While monitoring cows around their expected delivery time helps lower the risk of complications from dystocia, round-the-clock observation is incredibly impractical.
The system features the unique AfiAct II leg-tag technology, which is designed to alert producers of both the onset of parturition and dystocia events for individual cows. The system sends a wireless notification when cows go into labor, and again if labor is prolonged, offering farmers increased peace of mind as cows near the end of their gestational period.
The system can detect other conditions based on resting behavior and activity as well, including estrus, abortion, illness, and cow comfort problems.
“We now have good control over the calving process, and dead calves in the morning are a rare sight,” said Edu Mesnik, a veteran farm manager who experienced noticeably reduced half mortality after installing AfiAct II in his herd last year.
View and download photos from the event here: 2016 World Dairy Expo Photo Album.
