A fresh-grazed grass indicator based on big milk data

Qlip has developed a novel grazing indicator. Not all modern dairy farmers find it practical to allow cows to graze from spring until fall. This is why dairy suppliers’ milk is regularly tested to determine whether milk was produced by cows that graze on pasture.

This indicator provides a new method for monitoring and safeguarding sufficient grazing, showing whether the milk tested was produced by cows nourished by fresh grazed grass. The composition of milk is affected by what a cow eats, making it possible to see whether they were fed fresh grazed grass or other feed. The milk is analyzed by means of infrared technology. This results in a unique spectrum for every milk sample, supplying information about the specific composition of the milk. This information can be related to the intake of freshly grazed grass.

The spectra and computational models underlying the grazing indicator are also used for the development of other indicators that use big data from milk to determine animal health, animal welfare and sustainability. Dairy farmers use the data to make farm management decisions. The same data enable the dairy sector to assure the safety and quality of milk.