Dairy farming is entering a transformative new chapter thanks to Nedap, a global leader in dairy technology. During World Dairy Expo, the company announced the launch of SmartSight - Locomotion Monitoring, marking a significant advancement in the integration of AI-driven vision technology. This innovation could redefine how dairy farmers monitor and manage cow health, beginning with lameness detection.
A New Era
Vision technology offers farmers unprecedented insights into their herds. With the introduction of SmartSight, Nedap uses computer vision to detect early signs of lameness in dairy cows. This enhancement integrates into Nedap’s existing cow monitoring platform and will first be launched in the United States and Ireland.
Why Early Detection Matters
Lameness affects up to 90% of cows at least once in their lifetimes. It’s among the top reasons for involuntary culling, with profound impacts on cow health, productivity, and farm profitability. In fact, it accounts for 15% of all dairy cow culls worldwide.
According to Nigel Cook, professor of food animal production medicine at the University of Wisconsin, lameness and hock injuries are the No. 1 and No. 2 issues on the farm (in that order) when it comes to well-being. Cook says when he and his team do welfare audits and lameness assessments, the farmer is often focused on the animal unable to bear weight, while Cook looks for any animal that has weight-transfer challenges or pain associated with their limbs.
“I think that’s where a sort of disconnect comes into play. The farmer thinks their lameness issue is under 5%, while when we go out and look, it’s often 25%,” Cook says.
Lameness damage tallies up in several ways, including:
- Direct costs for treatment and additional labor
- Lost revenue due to 10% to 30% lower milk production
- Premature culling
- Reduced fertility
- Increased risk of other health issues
- Lower animal welfare scores
SmartSight equips farmers with actionable insights by continuously monitoring cow locomotion. Faster action and targeted treatment ensure:
- Fewer severe cases
- Reduced treatment time and costs
- Preserved milk yield and fertility
- Improved cow health and welfare
Greg Kowalewski, of Aurora-Oakwood Dairy in Auburn, N.Y., shares using the SmartSight camera system has enabled the dairy to reduce the severity of lameness cases.
“With SmartSight, we’re finding cows quicker, and they’re not becoming as severely lame. That means we’re not overcrowding our lame cow pen, and cows can stay in general populations. The system is saving us time, reducing stress for the cows and keeping milk in the tank,” he says.
Years in the Making
This launch is the result of years of rigorous development and testing across commercial dairy farms. The real-world testing environments provided millions of data points, honing the system’s algorithms for unparalleled accuracy in understanding cow locomotion. Vision technology, as a complement to Nedap’s established platform, enhances its offerings, integrating seamlessly while offering an independent stand-alone application.
“Vision technology is a logical addition to our platform. It offers farmers new, complementary insights — starting with locomotion — and gives us a completely new way to monitor cows. This is just the beginning. Step by step, we’re expanding our platform with purpose, always focused on optimizing the performance and well-being of individual cows,” says Maarten Idink, managing director livestock at Nedap.
Broader Vision Strategy
SmartSight marks the beginning of a broader vision-centered strategy at Nedap. The company is committed to continuously expanding its suite of vision-based solutions targeted at key dairy farming challenges. As the phased launch of SmartSight - Locomotion Monitoring begins, Nedap continues to embody innovation, empowering farmers to operate more intelligently, sustainably, and profitably.
Learn more about the transformative potential of SmartSight here.
