Dairy tech: Key for successful and profitable farming

Owners of large dairy operations will become Chief Information Officers (CIOs) in the near future, says dairy tech expert Jeffrey Bewley. He also thinks that “technology can help farmers in many aspects on the farm and the farmers who can capitalise on the value of the data will have a competitive advantage in the future.”

Bewley, an expert in dairy analytics and technology and currently working at Holstein Association USA, will delve deeper in the changing role of dairy farmers and the role of technology, at the virtual event Global Dairy Tech Start-up Spotlight, to be held on 1 October 2020.

Event presentations

The unique, online and free event includes 10 short presentations of dairy tech start-ups, showcasing their technology, business model and experience with producers and how these can transform how we produce milk in the US and globally. The pitches are followed by an in-depth discussion featuring Jeffrey Bewley, Marcia Endres from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities and Joao H.C. Costa from the University of Kentucky, who will all share their thoughts on the current technologies and how they can help farmers to stay in business.

Capitalise on the data

The 10 start-ups selected by this committee each have a digital-based technology for dairy such as robots, cameras, sensors, drones or blockchain and answer a specific need from producers like feed bunk management, cow behavior monitoring, cow health, milk quality and manure treatment. “And all of these technologies are needed for dairy business to stay in business and to keep on farming in a profitable and efficient way,” explains Bewley. He adds, “The so-called ‘dairy farm of the future’ will be driven by external factors and consumer demands regarding the environment, and animal welfare. But labour also is a big issue in dairy farming. All of these have a tremendous impact on what a dairy operation looks like today and will look like in the future.” According to Bewley, it is technology that can help farmers deal with all of these challenges.

Dairy tech expert Jeffrey Bewley. Photo: AgriTech Capital

It is not all about the gadget

“But to do so effectively, farmers need to capitalise more on the data and then add value to the data and use it. This means that farmers, heading large dairy operations will become CIO’s (Chief Information Officers) instead of CEO’s. Using data that is already on the farm is key. On top of that, farmers will have a competitive advantage in the future when they invest in technology. But it is not all about the gadget, the technology should be really adding value to the farmer and help with his daily decisions. Getting too excited about having a fancy new gadget on the farm can be a bit tricky. Often it is about savvy (existing) data use with the help of new technologies. I strongly believe that this is vital for success and profitability,” according to Bewley.

Hear the full panel discussion and See and Learn what the 10 start-ups can mean for your dairy operation. Register now for free.

About the 10 start-ups

The event is hosted by AgriTech Capital and funded by the start-ups themselves. The companies participating in the first-ever Global Dairy Tech Start-up Spotlight are Advanced Animal Diagnostics, Cainthus, EIO diagnostics, Fyto, Labby, Livestock Water Recycling, Milc group, PharmRobotics, SomaDetect and Zisk. All the start-ups selected propose solutions that solve a critical problem for dairy producers and as a result help them maximise efficiencies, profitability and production.

Endorsed by World Dairy Expo

While the global dairy industry would normally be meeting in Madison, Wisconsin on 1 October for World Dairy Expo (WDE), dairy farmers and dairy professionals can now meet online and learn about the latest dairy technologies during 10 short presentations from dairy tech start-ups. “The Global Dairy Tech Start-up Spotlight is in line with the spirit of World Dairy Expo, showcasing some of the newest technologies available to the dairy industry from young companies,” said Scott Bentley, World Dairy Expo general manager. “WDE is exploring the possibility of making it an in-person feature at the 2021 show.”

Be sure to register for this upcoming virtual event, for free here: Global Dairy Tech Start-up Spotlight