Budjon Farms

Tom & Kelli Cull, owners of Budjon Farms in Lomira, Wisconsin, run an elite show herd that has produced multiple grand champions including the supreme champion cow at World Dairy Expo in 2017. In addition to their own herd, Budjon Farms boards show cattle for clients across the country, making a high standard of care and management essential to their farm.

In 2022, the Culls began using the smaXtec health management system to bring added oversight to their operation. The results have given them a new level of confidence in how they manage their herd, as Kelli explains: “smaXtec adds another layer of management to our facility that allows us to be an even better boarding facility and farm.”

Champion Results, Backed by Data

Caring for client-owned show cattle means every new animal arrival comes with a unique history. With smaXtec providing 24/7 internal insights, the team is able to get to know incoming cows faster and more accurately than ever before. “We’re learning about them just as much as they’re learning about their new facility,” says Kelli. “smaXtec’s health alerts give us more peace of mind.”

Budjon Farms’ show record speaks for itself, but for Kelli, the accomplishments go hand in hand with the day-to-day care with smaXtec. “The awards and accomplishments, in addition to how we care for our animals here at the farm, are definitely what we’re most proud of,” she says.

Support Beyond the Barn

At Budjon Farms, smaXtec provides valuable visibility into the herd, helping the team stay connected to cow health whether they’re in the barn or away at a show. For Tom, smaXtec’s biggest impact has been the confidence it gives him even when he’s not physically present.

“The biggest impact that smaXtec has given us is peace of mind, time efficiency and a management tool that allows us to better overall manage the health of our herd,” says Tom. “It provides me insurance that somebody else is watching over things when I’m not necessarily watching.”

With continuous insights on internal temperature, water intake and drinking cycles, rumination and activity, smaXtec helps the Culls stay ahead of every cow’s needs.

Confidence During Calving

“What sealed the deal for us was the calving alerts,” says Kelli. “Between the high profile, high investment show cattle that we have, the level of embryo work that we do and the value of the calves coming out, whether it’s a recipient heifer or the animal itself, we know and now have peace of mind that within 12 to 24 hours, that calf is going to be out.”