Without knowing how youngstock are performing, the herd's future productivity could be compromised.
How well replacement heifer calves are reared can have a long-lasting influence on the herd's performance, with any diseases, respiratory problems or welfare issues during the animal's first year having a potential detrimental effect for the rest of its life.
Ensuring the farm is producing healthy, well cared for and disease-free replacements is therefore critical to the herd's future viability.
Thanks to its new SenseHubTM Dairy Youngstock application plan, SenseHub® from MSD Animal Health now allows herd managers to monitor calves during their first 12 months.
It can can be used to identify any signs of ill health or opportunities for welfare improvements in nipple-fed calves in single hutches and post-weaning calves in group pens. Using a monitoring system to watch over youngstock also reduces the farm's reliance on skilled staff and ensures each and every calf gets off to the best possible start and that it can make a positive contribution to the herd's income sooner.
UNIQUE SYSTEM The SenseHub Dairy Youngstock application plan uses the SenseHub monitoring eartag to assess the behavioural patterns of calves from birth and is suitable for nipple-fed calves in single hutches or post-weaning calves in group pens.
As soon as the SenseHub system detects any irregular patterns which could be indicative of a developing health or welfare issue, the relevant animal is entered on the Youngstock Health Report to highlight which calves need attention.
A programmable flashing LED on the eartag also helps to locate the relevant animals so the necessary care or treatment can be administered as quickly as possible.
The SenseHub Dairy Youngstock application can be used as a standalone plan or in combination with other SenseHub Dairy application plans.
It is also included as part of the SenseHub Lifetime application, which also offers reproduction and health monitoring for individual cows and heifers and for groups of animals within the herd.
SenseHub can also be used to control an MSD Animal health sorting gate and with the SenseHubTM Dairy In-Line Somatic Cell Count and SenseHubTM Dairy In-Line MilkPlus sensors.
All the above are available via the SenseHub GO subscription, which gives customers access to the full suite of SenseHub hardware and software for one affordable monthly payment and no upfront costs.
