How Four Cubs Farm improved their decision-making with a smart system

As the herd manager of Four Cubs Farm, a 1,100-cow Holstein farm in Grantsburg, Wisconsin, Nathan Brandt is no stranger to the challenges of managing a large operation. 

One of the biggest hurdles he faced was the sheer volume of data flowing in from the farm's various systems - robotic milkers, feed monitoring, daily milk weights, cow activity and more. "We had so much information at our fingertips, but it was really difficult to make sense of it all and translate that into actionable insights," Nathan recalled. 

After hearing about the Connecterra Platform at an industry conference, Nathan was “intrigued by the idea of integrating all our data into one place and having the ability to really dive into the insights".

"We're not afraid of technology, so we decided to give it a try." 

The need for a data integration solution 

Nathan was struggling to make sense of the large volume of data collected by farm systems. He couldn’t properly analyze the data, see the nitty-gritty details, and make informed decisions. 

Bigger decisions were easier to make, but Nathan wanted to know the financial impact of smaller decisions, such as a different type of feed or rumination time. 

“As we know, there’re so many different variables from day-to-day in a dairy. And so just helping me sort through those and see if we're staying on the right track... instead of having to jump through 5 different sources of data to get the answer I'm looking for.” 

Tracking small changes in real-time  

After using Connecterra for a couple of months, Nathan’s favorite features are the Farm Timeline and Impact Tracker. "The timeline has been a big asset for us," Nathan noted. "It allows me to track the impact of management changes, like adjusting feed rations, and see the real results in terms of production, components, and profitability." 

“There's so much noise on a dairy farm that you can lose your marbles a little bit, lose track of what you need to be focused on. And so, for me [the Platform] is a place where I could take my notes off the wall and put them to use." 

We want to look to the future, but you’ve got to kind of look to the past first, to learn things and, hopefully, direct your management decisions in the right way. And I saw that with the timeline and some of those tracking things, it helped me make better decisions.” 

For example, they have recently bought a new roaster for soybeans which has many different settings and variables to consider.

To figure out the best settings to make the most digestible feed, Nathan inputted the various roaster settings into Connecterra's timeline to track their impact. "I was able to experiment with settings and particle sizes and the timeline helped sort through what was causing milk to either go up or go down and settle in on what was optimal settings."

In the example above, Nathan used the platform to confirm that the adjustments to the amount of feed dispensed in the robots gave the outcome he was looking for. “Being able to separate data between the different groups of cows so easily, we aren't afraid of adjusting and implementing different strategies to see if we get a positive response from the changes.”

Before this, Nathan would have kept track of the changes by writing them down on a calendar, it was more difficult to understand their impact. Having clear numbers and indicators on changes in key metrics makes it easier to bring the whole team on the same page and agree on the optimal approach. 

"Our nutritionist loves it because we can identify issues or opportunities much faster than before. We're able to reinforce the changes that are working and course-correct when needed." Nathan explains. 

Improving consistency, decision-making, and collaboration across the farm 

Beyond the tangible benefits to the farm's operations, since Nathan has started using the Platform, he has also seen improvements in consistency across the herd.  

By using the Timeline we're able to make notes [of changes] and then put a dollar and cents behind that change. We started feeding a different product, and so what kind of benefit was it? It helps take out some of that noise. 

For example, we've implemented different management strategies, and the rumination time has stayed more consistent. And we have less swings in production and I attribute that to [the Platform] helping me sort through the data.” 

The Connecterra platform has also facilitated better collaboration between the farm managers and their advisors. "We all have access to the same data and insights, which makes it easier to work together towards our goals," Nathan explained. 

Nathan also highlights the value of Connecterra's Copilot feature, which sends weekly Farm Briefings - summaries of key changes on the farm. "In those farm briefings, there’s typically something that I wouldn't have found myself. Or it would have taken me hours to dig down and pull out that data," Nathan explained. “And the great benefits that it pulls solid components and milk and other things all together. So even though milk production may stay the same, you see a huge benefit in components and energy corrected milk”. This helps Nathan make quicker decisions and stay on the right track. 

No more data silos 

By implementing Connecterra and integrating all the farm’s data sources, Four Cubs Farm has been able to make faster and more informed decisions that improve its efficiency and animal care. 

"Connecterra helps me keep track of changes made on the farm throughout the year and be able to look back and quantify the impact of those changes." 

Curious about what Connecterra can help your farm achieve? Sign up now for a free 60-day trial and experience it yourself!