Abstract
Globally, dairy producers face growing pressures to boost production while maintaining animal welfare and longevity. In response, many are adopting precision management technologies for detailed data acquisition. This trend is evident in South Africa, where dairy managers increasingly use Automated Milking Systems (AMS), integrating hardware and software to collect real-time production, fertility, and health data. These systems enable tailored herd management strategies. This study evaluated the efficacy of AMS herd management software on a total mixed ration (TMR) and a pasture-based dairy farm in South Africa. Historical herd performance data were analyzed, focusing on heifer fertility, sire rankings, and survivability. Key differences emerged between systems: 36% of heifers calved between 25-26 months in the TMR herd, while 53.5% of pasture-based heifers calved at 22-24 months. Time-trend analysis revealed a declining Age at First Calving (AFC) across both systems, highlighting improvements in heifer rearing and fertility management. Progeny performance analyses strongly correlated sires and offspring survivability (TMR: R² = 0.91, Pasture: R² = 0.97), emphasizing AMS software’s role in sire selection. However, survivability declined with successive lactations, with the highest exits occurring between the heifer phase and third lactation (Pasture: 75%; TMR: 83%). These findings demonstrate the critical role of management software in recording historic fertility data, progeny performance, and survivability in South African dairy herds.
Gresse, 2025 Vol 18 (1)