Livestock Monitoring Collars – Any Practical Issues?

[Claudiobri]

Hi everyone, I'm a young dairy farmer managing around 400 cows near Turin, Italy. I'm currently considering implementing livestock monitoring technologies (ear tags, collars, etc.) to track my herd's health, reproduction, and behavior.

Does anyone have firsthand experience with these devices? I'd particularly like to understand any limitations or practical issues you've encountered during daily use.

Any advice or shared experiences would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!
Claudio

 

[TexasJerseyMilker]

Hello and welcome. There are people here that have a few dairy cows but no professional dairymen that I know of.
I have a free subscription to Progressive Dairy magazine. It comes out every 2 weeks and you can get the free on line edition by going here https://www.agproud.com/subscription-apply Click on the any other country link.

Most of the people on here that have collars on their cows just have the leather kind, maybe with a bell. There is the Got Milk section on this forum I hope you post there.

 

[Spot & Bubby]

Hi, Claudio! Kansas State University is studying and developing smart collars as virtual fencing for beef cattle. I don't know if it includes health monitoring or not. you might reach out to them. Mushrush Ranch in Elmdale, Kansas is one of the ranch facilities they are working with. Perhaps reach out to them as well.

Best of luck. I'd be interested in your review if you do implement a collar system.

 

[uplandnut]

Go to youtube and look up Circle P Enterprises, they are using collars on blm land in Montana. Also look up Echo-y-farm, they are using gallagher collars on there grazing operation in Wisconsin. Both seem very slick and seem to be working well for them. The Echo-y-farm might be more up your alley with the dairy cow use.