Introducing new technologies in dairy farming

Monday 22nd January 2018, 5:30pm

The increasingly important role played by state-of-the-art technology in Scotland’s dairy industry will be explored in a special open farm event in Dumfries.


cows in farm building - credit University of Edinburgh

improving farm efficiency

The event on Thursday 1 February in Dumfries will give members of the industry the chance to hear about the latest SRUC research on new technologies, including thermal imaging, GPS and automatic calf feeders, and how their application can improve farm efficiency.




Speakers will include David Ross, Senior Consultant at SAC Consulting, and Barony Farm Manager Paul Kelly, who will show how GPS can improve soil quality; dairy researchers Maggie March and Jenni Flockhart, who will demonstrate the role of nutrition in greenhouse gas emissions; and Professor Marie Haskell, who will give the lowdown on thermal imaging.

Among the guest speakers is Douglas Armstrong, Chief Executive of Edinburgh-based IceRobotics, a company at the forefront of sensor technology and animal behaviour monitoring. As well as being an advanced heat detection system, IceRobotics’ CowAlert is also a unique tool for farmers to assess lameness, cow comfort and welfare.


"Dairy farms are a hugely important part of Scottish agriculture, and the economy in general, so it’s vital that farmers keep up-to-date with the latest technological developments. We have a great lineup of speakers looking forward to sharing their expertise during what promises to be a fascinating event."

Lorna MacPherson, Dairy Consultant, who organised the event as part of SRUC’s Knowledge Exchange programme

"We want to highlight our new developments in more detail at the seminar. The benefits of such a system are endless and we want to show the attendees why CowAlert is as important as the milking machine on dairy farms."

Douglas Armstrong, Chief Executive, IceRobotics


Organised by SAC Consulting, part of Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), Precision Technologies in Dairy Farming will be held at SRUC’s Barony Dairy Technology Centre on Thursday 1 February from 10am-3pm.  To book a place, email Janis Forrest or call 0131 603 7525.


Source: Scotland's Rural College (SRUC)

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