Eise Tonnis de Vries manages his 300 dairy cows and additional 190 head of young stock on 185 hectares of land alongside his father and grandparents. Since November 2023, the smaXtec system has been a crucial part of their farm management, bringing remarkable improvements and insights into their daily operations.
Temperature before rumination
Eise Tonnis de Vries highlights the precision of the smaXtec system as a key reason for their choice. “The reason why we chose smaXtec is because of the very accurate temperature measurement at 0.01 Celsius accuracy. Since we have been using the system, we simply see that, for example, even before cows get a drop in rumination, that there have often already been temperature changes.”
“80% less antibiotics”
This early detection allows them to act swiftly and effectively and significantly reduced their antibiotic usage: “We are acting so early that you can treat with a homeopathic treatment or a painkiller and therefore leave a bottle of antibiotics in the fridge. Using a painkiller with zero days waiting time for the milk means we can just continue delivering the milk.” The proactive approach has led to a substantial decrease in antibiotic usage. “Since we have been using smaXtec, you could say that we have been able to achieve an 80% reduction in antibiotics in general. That’s pretty significant,” Eise Tonnis de Vries shares.
The results are even better when it comes to mastitis: “In mastitis cases we can achieve an antibiotic reduction of around 90%. We can give calcium pills very specifically when we get a calving alert and that simply results in a substantial optimisation of cow health. Fewer visits of the vet, fewer vet costs.” This shows that smaXtec not only benefits the cows but also aligns with sustainable farming practices.
Enhanced reproduction & calving management
The system also enhances reproductive efficiency on Eise Tonnis de Vries’ farm: “Since we have been using the smaXtec system we have seen a significant improvement in the number of pregnancies at scanning. This also automatically means that we have a full view of all silent heats and all missed heats.”
Furthermore, calving alerts provided by smaXtec have improved their management practices: “When we receive a calving alert, this means that the cow comes from the slatted area into the straw bedding. The smaXtec system gives you this alert based on a lower body temperature. Because the system gives an alert between 15 and 18 hours in advance of calving, that means that you have more time to prepare as you don’t have to take the cow to the straw right away, but you can do it at a moment that suits you.” This has led to zero stillbirths and calves born on the slats.
“They can take away a lot from me now, but not smaXtec.”
The smaXtec system has been integrated seamlessly into their daily routine. “When we start milking in the morning, we start getting the cows into the holding area, during that we select cows based on the reports we get from smaXtec checked by me, my dad or our employee,” Eise Tonnis de Vries explains. The system has also improved job satisfaction for the entire team. “The smaXtec system did greatly improve the pleasure of working. Not only for ourselves as dairy farmers, but also for the staff.”
For Eise Tonnis de Vries working with smaXtec is indispensable: “We are very satisfied with the system, but we also invest in it. Both in terms of time and checking alerts,” he says. The benefits in transition management, cow health, and overall farm efficiency are clear, which is why he can’t imagine doing it without smaXtec anymore: “They can take away a lot from me now, but not smaXtec. No, I’m really convinced of that. We as a company also can’t do without it now.”
