Editor’s Note: This is one article in a series that is included in the 2025 Farm Journal’s State of the Dairy Industry report. The full 16-page report will appear in the May/June issues of Dairy Herd Management and Milk Business Quarterly and will be published in this space over the next several weeks. To download the full report for free click here.
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Technology has woven itself into the fabric of various industries, and the dairy sector in particular stands as a beacon of how it can be harnessed to modernize operations. This transformation is not merely about enhancing productivity but also animal welfare and a more sustainable future for the industry.
“As an early believer in genomics, I followed technology. I graduated college, and I told myself, ‘We’ve got to follow technology. We’ve got to lead technology for the industry’. We drove right into it,” says Tim Rauen, GenoSource CEO and 2024 Milk Business Leader in Technology award recipient. Rauen’s commitment to adding technology into dairy farming has made GenoSource a leader in agricultural innovations.
Current Trends in Tech
Our survey revealed two-thirds of dairies now use at least one form of feeding technology, with health monitoring collars and ear tags being the most widespread. In fact, there has been a notable uptick in the use of health monitoring technology over the past year. However, the usage of automated calf feeders and rumen monitoring bolus has seen a decline compared to 2024.
Survey data shows a preference for collars and tags equipped with individual data tracking, software for monitoring health events and surveillance cameras. These tools are invaluable in herd health tech, with the majority of operators (83%) leveraging at least one form of technology primarily for monitoring and tracking the health of individual animals. While some areas, such as automated injection systems and youngstock monitoring, remain underutilized, there’s clear evidence of substantial adoption across other areas.
Only two-in-five operators are employing technology specifically aimed at monitoring milk production and quality. Data integration software that facilitates cross-system management is the leading tool, currently used by 27% of operators, with an additional 30% planning to implement it in the next three to five years. Despite this, there is a notably low interest in adopting real-time sensors and technologies designed to monitor udder health and detect mastitis.
As operators adopt and adapt to new technologies, the potential benefits to productivity, animal welfare and sustainability are boundless. With leaders like Tim Rauen at the helm of innovation, the future of dairy farming will be equipped to face the challenges of tomorrow with cutting-edge solutions.
