Fränk Thielen

“Thanks to smaXtec the use of antibiotics was reduced by around 20% from 2022 to 2023.”

Fränk Thielen’s 70-cow farm is located in the middle of Luxembourg’s pastureland, a place characterised by progress and innovation. Since July 2022, Thielen has been relying on smaXtec, a technology that not only collects data, but also opens up a whole new dimension of efficiency and animal health for dairy farms.

Accuracy and diversity: why smaXtec was the first choice

In an environment with no previous electronic cow monitoring, smaXtec was the clear choice for Thielen. “smaXtec offers us heat detection, calving detection and animal health monitoring. I decided in favour of smaXtec because of its accuracy and the high number of different measurement data.” Thielen emphasises the versatility that is crucial for his business. One particularly valued feature is the measurement of internal body temperature. Thielen explains: “I value temperature measurement the most, as you can recognise inflammation, especially udder inflammation, at a very early stage.” This innovative function enables early detection that surpasses conventional monitoring methods.

Holistic animal control and more relaxation

“smaXtec has taken over the entire animal control so that I hardly have to carry out any checks myself. Furthermore, you no longer have to worry about the cows’ welfare, as you can monitor the cows 24/7 and check and, if necessary, treat specific cows with one report.” This comprehensive monitoring not only enables more efficient farm management, but also contributes to a sustainable improvement in animal welfare. In addition to animal welfare, Fränk Thielen himself has also improved a lot: “Thanks to smaXtec, I can really switch off without constantly asking myself in the back of my mind whether everything is OK in the barn. Even if a message comes in during my free time, I’m still early enough and don’t have to have a guilty conscience. You become more relaxed!”

Reduced use of antibiotics

The integration of smaXtec has not only optimised health monitoring, but has also led to a remarkable reduction in the use of antibiotics. Thielen proudly explains: “Thanks to smaXtec, the use of antibiotics has already been largely replaced by alternatives and mastitis, for example, has been treated very early on. The use of antibiotics was reduced by around 20% from 2022 to 2023.”

More milk through early intervention

Another significant success can be seen in milk production: “As the udder infections were treated early and largely with alternative products, more milk could be delivered.“ This illustrates not only the improved animal health, but also the economic benefits of using smaXtec. The precise monitoring also enables Thielen to identify and treat metritis at an early stage: “We recently recognised metritis at a very early stage. Visually, the cow was not really noticeable. Thanks to the message from smaXtec, we were able to find the cause quickly and react immediately. We were therefore able to treat the cow without antibiotics and had no waiting time for the milk.“With smaXtec, Thielen has an all-round view of his cows and confirms the comprehensive control of animal welfare: “The system gives you all the relevant data at a glance, so you have the entire animal welfare under control. An enormous help for me.“