The big advantage with SenseHub® Dairy was that the Intelligate P reads directly off the collar

“When I started looking at collars, I looked at everything on the market. There were some good systems out there, but for me it came down to practicality. I didn’t want more ear tags – we already have tags in both ears, and I didn’t want to be ripping birth ID tags out or replacing EID systems. The big advantage with SenseHub Dairy was that the Intelligate P reads directly off the collar, so I didn’t have to change our existing EID setup.

The second big factor was the gate itself. I had a good look at it, and in my view, the Intelligate P was the best-built gate on the market. Being able to put it through Farmsource interest-free over two years sealed the deal. Having no upfront cost and only starting payments once everything was installed made it an easy decision.

From install to operation, the process has been straightforward. The drafting has been a game changer for us. I had never had an automatic drafting system before – for 20 years it was standing in front of the shed pulling strings and hoping you caught the right cow. Now the cows just flow through, and the right ones are drafted automatically.

The collars have really come into their own during mating. We’re running 10 weeks of AB with no bulls, and that’s something I wouldn’t have done without this technology. Knowing exactly which cows are cycling, which haven’t, and being able to draft them effortlessly for treatment or CIDRs has made the whole process simple and accurate. We’re no longer relying on tail paint or guesswork – the data is there, and you just use it.

Because I’m running multiple farms and I’m not always on-site, the alerts are a huge benefit. If there’s a down cow, heat stress, or a health issue, both my staff and I see it straight away. Training was easy – we did one session, followed the guides, and the staff picked it up quickly. They’re confident using it, checking alerts, and managing drafting without needing me there. The staff are also able to teach themselves with the online videos and training modules, which I have found they have referred to from time to time.

Like any new system, there’s a learning curve, and I know I’m only scratching the surface of what it can do. But even six months in, it’s already made the farm easier to run, reduced stress, and given me confidence that things are being picked up when I’m not here.

For an older shed with no previous technology, adding collars and an automatic drafting gate has completely changed how we operate.