Smile, your body condition score is being taken

The technology, a world first, combines DeLaval's BCS camera system with LIC Automation's technology and knowledge of NZ herd characteristics.

DeLaval Oceania regional president Andrew Pooch says it is pleased to be cooperating with LIC Automation.

"It eliminates commercial barriers and will offer all NZ dairy farmers opportunity for body conditioning scoring to be fully automated, eliminating the guesswork and labour hours associated with a manual system.

"This could not be more timely with the new animal evaluation process in place in NZ since February 2016 making BCS trait mandatory for bull evaluation."

LIC Automation sells services and solutions such as dairy genetics and information, says Paul Whiston, chief executive.

"Collaboration in innovative technology... increases productivity and prosperity onfarm. Automating the body condition scoring process will deliver greater consistency and [finer] data to farmers to assist in their decisionmaking and herd management."

The DeLaval BCS is based on a 3D camera; when a cow passes under the camera the system recognises the movement and selects the best still image of the cow in the video sequence. The image is converted into an accurate BCS and can be accessed via DeLaval's herd management system DelPro or LIC's herd management system Minda.

The DeLaval BCS condition scoring allows the farmer to plan and optimise feeding according to a cow's BCS score, ensuring they have peak body condition in the lactation cycle.

Keeping cows at ideal condition during lactation ensures maximum milk yield, improves pregnancy rate and minimises calving and post calving problems, the company says.