What to Know about CowSignals Training and Education

A dairy industry expert based in Kentucky, Jeffrey Bewley serves as an adjunct animal science professor at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green. He also works as an analytics and innovation scientist at Holstein Association USA. Over the course of his career, Jeffrey Bewley has developed expertise in various dairy industry tools and resources, including CowSignals, a company he supports as a certified trainer.

Launched in 1999, CowSignals began as a single workshop and has since expanded to become a full-service training company offering workshops in more than four dozen countries. Today, the company’s offerings including online courses, books, and the CowSignals Pro licensing program.

CowSignals’ online courses are offered throughout the year and cover a wide range of topics to help dairy farmers improve animal welfare, prevent common diseases, and boost overall production. Currently, farmers can turn to the group’s online courses to learn more about cattle fertility and rearing and preventable diseases such as mastitis.

These and many other topics are also the focus of CowSignals books, which are available through the group’s website. Several informational posters are also available. Both the books and the posters are written in a number of languages to accommodate farmers worldwide.

Those interested in teaching CowSignals’ concepts to others can become licensed advisors and trainers through the CowSignals Pro Advisor and Master programs. Both programs combine live and online training sessions delivered via an online platform and app. Participants who complete the programs receive certificates, an online toolbox, and promotion on the CowSignals website.

More information about CowSignals and its offerings is available at www.cowsignals.com.

Tips for Choosing Precision Dairy Software

An internationally recognized dairy management professional, Jeffrey Bewley holds a PhD in animal sciences from Purdue University. Currently an analytics and innovation scientist with Holstein Association USA, Jeffrey Bewley is also the creator of CowFocused Solutions, a consulting company that provides guidance on topics such as mastitis, analytics, and precision dairy.

Precision dairy farming relies on the use of technology to closely monitor the behavior and milk production of dairy cattle. When choosing precision dairy software, the following questions can help consumers select the appropriate option:

1. How effective is the software? A manufacturer should be able to provide third-party testing to ensure that the software takes accurate measurements.

2. How durable is the equipment? Wearable and standalone devices must be able to stand up to the harsh elements of a dairy farm, including rain, snow, and mud.

3. Is the data presented in a clear, easy-to-read format? Too much information can be overwhelming; choose software that allows you to select which aspects to monitor, and that also allows you easy access to that data.

4. Will the technology translate to an economic return? The software should clearly contribute to increased revenue for the farm.

CowSignals Training Leads to Happier Farmers and Cows

A graduate of Purdue University with a PhD in animal sciences, Jeffrey Bewley is focused on the application and economics of Precision Dairy Farming technologies. Currently an analytics and innovation scientist with Holstein Association USA, Jeffrey Bewley holds an Animal Breeding and Genetics Professional Certificate from Wageningen University. He is also a certified CowSignals® Trainer.

CowSignals® is a specialized educational system designed to help dairy farmers, veterinarians, and advisors implement practices that increase efficiency and minimize illness among cows. The CowSignal Training teaches best practices in dairy management, including strategies to help farmers double their cows’ lactations and lifespans while decreasing carbon emissions by up to 50 percent. Additionally, the training offers tools to help farmers reduce antibiotic resistance among cows and decrease incidence of disease.

The first CowSignals® workshop was conducted in 1999 by Joep Driessen and Jan Hulsen. Since then, more than 400 trainers have given CowSignals® workshops in more than 50 countries

Introduction to Precision Dairy Technology

A resident of Elizabethtown, Kentucky, Jeffrey Bewley serves as an adjunct professor of animal science at Western Kentucky University and analytics and innovation scientist at Holstein Association USA. With a Ph.D. in animal sciences from Purdue University, Jeffrey Bewley possesses expertise in many areas of dairy science such as the use of precision dairy technology.

A combination of technologies used to monitor the behavior, genetics, and production capabilities of dairy cattle, precision dairy technology aims to enhance the health, management, and farm performance of the animals. It also seeks to provide care to individual animals within the herd setting. Some of the most valuable precision dairying technologies in use today collect data on cow milk composition and yield, track the amount of activity and resting time, and monitor the animals’ health parameters and feeding behavior.

New precision dairying technologies are currently being investigated or are in development and are expected to improve not only the lives of the animals but also to increase cost-efficiency for the producers. These technologies are usable by farmers with any size of the farm and provide the most significant benefit those who are willing to embrace change. Precision dairy technology, in one or more of its forms, is currently being adopted by an increasing number of farmers.