Use of data and analytics is not just meant to improve a company’s efficiency but can be used effectively to ensure good health of animals and improve milk yield. This has been demonstrated at the integrated dairy farm of Mid Valley Foods Pvt Ltd.

Milk production of individual cows, changes in milk production, health and breeding records are captured and analysed for improvement.

Constant monitoring

A blue-collar sensor tag with an unique identification code hangs around the neck of 400 plus cows (Gir, Ongole, Jersey, Ghashian and Holstein Freisian breeds) that graze freely on 125 acres of the integrated dairy farm located in the foothills of Pachai Malaiin Arumbavur village in Perambalur district of Tamil Nadu.

The tags continuously send information about the well-being of the cows to a central server.

A veterinarian is at hand always to monitor the cows’ behaviour and take appropriate action.

Happy Tales

For example, an alert is sent out when a cow is detected to be ready for insemination. The veterinarian immediately artificially inseminates the cow. “In the past, the cow’s readiness would be detected by touching the animal’s nose. However, today, technology is helping,” said P Vijayakumar, founder of Mid Valley Foods, which markets cow milk under the brand name Happy Tales.

The software also alerts if a particular cow will not yield milk and needs to be pastured out.

“By providing healthy food, good living conditions and using technology, the milk yield varies from 8 to 32 litre,” he told BusinessLine .

Dairy farming today is all about data, analytics and predictive analytics. Looking at the cow’s behavioural pattern, the software can forecast the likely yield of each and every cow for the next five years, said Vijayakumar.

The moment a calf is born, the sensor and an unique number belt is attached to the animal with information about its parents; the doctors who did the artificial insemination and the semen’s source. From then on, its behavioural pattern is monitored during the entire lifecycle.

Data is also available about cows that were bought from open market, he said.

At present, the company sells cow milk only in Chennai through an app.It charges ₹80 a litre. The moment the milk is delivered, the delivery person scans the milk box using a QR code and the consumer gets an alert about the milk delivery with the exact time, he said.

Daily, the company supplies around 400 litre of milk to customers directly; another 1,200 litres to Hatsun Agro amd in a few retail shops, he said.

Love for cows

For Vijayakumar, hailing from Mayavaram and running an events management company, the passion for cows was instilled by his grandfather, who used to have around 80 cows. And his dream came true two years back when he bought 13 cows in an open market at Chintamani in Karnataka. Since then, the number has multiplied to around 400 and will double by this year-end, he said.

Till now, around ₹23 crore has been invested in the farm, which will soon start manufacturing ice-cream and ghee, he said.

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