There’s a buzz, an optimism, an excitement that I haven’t felt in the dairy industry for some time.
While crossing my fingers and toes, I say that it feels we’ve finally shaken off the COVID years, its supply chain backlogs and the bird flu pandemic (which acted as a second-wave, COVID-like shock to some regions of the country).
The COVID pandemic was a change agent. Any pandemic is uncomfortable, exhausting and painful. It’s impossible to feel in control during one. What used to be manageable is unpredictable. Chaos reigns.
That’s the no-fun part of pandemics, but on the other side of them, we can see them as change agents that forced us into new upgrades.
Many of the technologies we all now use daily existed before COVID. I know because I’m a proud early adopter and used them when others didn’t. I’ve seen firsthand it took the chaos of disruption for them to become mainstream.
For example, we all now have the convenience and confidence to join a video call versus traveling for a meeting. We know what to do with a pixelated block – a QR code.
Besides pandemics, the black swan chaos of disruption at times affects dairies too. More often than not, a barn fire leads to the installation of milking robots versus a manual parlor. Or when an on-farm computer crashes, cloud-based computing software replaces it.
As humans, we don’t change unless we must.
So for a moment, let’s bask in what the past few years have forced upon us. Some of these upgrades are truly amazing.
While some sense of normal order has returned, technology continues to advance, and maybe even at a faster pace.
As we come out of this most recent phase of disruption, I’d like to hear from you about what technologies are in use on your farm and which ones you think are gaining traction.
For example, what are your thoughts on …
- Artificial intelligence
- Cloud-based herd management software
- Cameras with computer vision
- In-line milk sensors
- Rumen boluses for activity monitoring
- Sort gates
- And more …
Please take my three-minute survey to shed some light on some of the technologies you’ve adopted or been forced into over the last several years.
I’ll be going live on Jan. 21, 2026, with the IFCN Dairy Research Network to talk about the current state of cow technologies and where we’re headed. Your input will be valuable to my research on this topic.
Please know I’m not so techy as to only interact with you on a form, so call or email if you’d prefer to share your opinion. The best part of my job is always hearing directly from you – both what’s working and what’s not.
My wish is a lot more works for you and your farm this year than it has over the past several years. I have a good feeling it’s going to.
