This special episode of Dairy Country, powered by MSD Animal Health, dives into how SenseHub Dairy is reshaping modern herd management through real-time insights and connected on-farm technology. 

Taranaki farmer Ed Whiting shares how adopting SenseHub Dairy has transformed the way he and his family run their system, lifting animal health, streamlining decision-making, and giving them greater confidence through timely, accurate data. Alongside Ed, West Coast sharemilker Terry Swney explains how the technology supports heat detection and herd performance in a challenging climate, while South Island team leader Laura Christensen offers a behind-the-scenes look at the tools farmers are using to monitor rumination, young stock, and milk-quality trends.

 

Host:

• Sarah Perriam-Lampp, CEO, CountryWide Media

Guests:

• Ed Whiting, Taranaki farmer
• Terry Swney, West Coast sharemilker
• Laura Christensen, South Island Sales Lead, SenseHub Dairy

 

Ed Whiting reflects on his journey in adopting technology on his Taranaki farm and how SenseHub Dairy has transformed the way he manages his herd. Farming a mixed operation with 400 cows, 300 beef calves, and a large free-range broiler chicken enterprise, he shares how real-time insights into heat, health, rumination, and milk quality have shaped his approach to herd management and decision-making. 

He talks about integrating collars, milk meters, and young stock tags across his operation, fine-tuning feeding regimes, preventing metabolic issues, and monitoring every cow individually. Ed also discusses the value of using technology to connect his team, improve workflow, and make smarter decisions on farm, and encourages other farmers to embrace incremental steps when adopting new systems: start with one tool, learn, and expand from there.

 

Terry Swney reflects on stepping up to share milking on his West Coast farm and how SenseHub Dairy has helped him manage a 635-cow operation more efficiently. Operating in a low-stocking-rate, pasture-based system, he shares how collars and young stock tags have guided his approach to heat detection, animal health, and rumination, helping him make better decisions while saving time in the shed. 

He talks about how the technology has allowed him to fine-tune feeding, prevent health issues, and monitor young stock development, while also highlighting the importance of reliable support and guidance from the SenseHub Dairy team. Terry encourages other farmers to adopt new systems step by step, focusing on learning and practical benefits rather than feeling overwhelmed by the data.

 

Laura Christensen shares her perspective as MSD Animal Health’s South Island Sales Lead for the SenseHub Dairy brand about how the technology is helping farmers across diverse environments make smarter decisions. She explains how customisable solutions from heat detection and milk monitoring to young stock tracking support herd health, reproductive performance, and feeding management, even in remote or challenging conditions.

Laura also highlights the importance of ongoing support, on-farm training, and practical guidance to ensure farmers can confidently integrate technology into their systems. She encourages farmers to approach adoption step by step, focusing on meaningful insights and improvements for individual animals and overall herd performance.

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