Fullwood Packo has launched a smartphone app which enables dairy farmers to remotely monitor the performance and functionality of their M2erlin automatic milking systems, enabling them to make swifter and smarter management decisions to the benefit of herd productivity and their own work-life balance.
The M2erlinInfo app enables users to view real-time and historical data of each cow’s milking records, or for the herd as a whole, from any location and at any time via a Wi-Fi or mobile data connection. Parameters such as milk yield, number and duration of milkings per day and time of last milking are easily accessible, with users also able to compare 10-day and 24-hour yield averages, thereby allowing them to measure productivity and make informed management decisions on a cow-by-cow or whole herd basis.
The app also delivers a series of alarms and warnings to alert the farmer/herd manager of potential problems – either with the milking machine or an individual cow – and gives users easy access to the robot’s cleaning records and maintenance schedules, thus ensuring each M2erlin is working as efficiently and hygienically as possible to safeguard milk quality and integrity.
“The M2erlinInfo app has been designed to enable dairy farmers and herd managers to monitor the performance and functionality of their M2erlin robot(s) and to provide instant access to a range of useful performance indicators and key system alarms in one easy to use package,” explains Rik Schoenmaker, Director of Sales and Marketing for Fullwood Packo. “The app’s easy to read dashboard presents a wealth of practical data in a user-friendly format which can be used to manage each M2erlin machine more effectively and more promptly with the ultimate aim of producing more milk from healthier, happier cows.”
The M2erlinInfo app also warns of any deviations in terms of cluster attachment timings and milk captured during the first two minutes of milking to provide an immediate warning of potential problems, thereby enabling swift remedial action to be taken.
“Development of the new app illustrates Fullwood Packo’s ethos of putting the farmer and their herd at the heart of everything we do and to provide added value to the Fullwood Packo range of smart milking and cooling solutions,” Mr Schoenmaker continues. “Feedback from existing M2erlin users is that the app will enable them to monitor, measure and maximise the performance of their robots as well as improving their work-life balance by giving them the flexibility to keep a close eye on proceedings even when they are away from the farm, thereby enabling them to work smarter, not harder.”
The app has been tested on several farms where it has proven to be a useful farm management tool:
