GEA expands digital herd management with CowScout Cloud for unlimited data history

With CowScout Cloud, GEA is launching a new data and analytics layer for its proven CowScout system. The solution stores and connects individual animal data on activity, rumination, eating and behavior in the cloud without time limitations. This creates, for the first time, an unlimited digital data history for each animal across its entire lifecycle. In addition to the existing Neck Tag, a newly developed Ear Tag is also available for CowScout Cloud.

Unlimited data history as the central innovation

CowScout has been established in dairy farming for many years and provides individual animal information on activity, eating and rumination behavior, as well as fertility indicators and health monitoring. Until now, however, farms have lacked a data foundation that connects insights without time limitations and makes them analyzable across multiple lactations.

“With CowScout Cloud, we are creating an unlimited, cloud-based history of individual animal sensor data for the first time. This makes it easier to track developments across an animal’s entire lifecycle and translate analyses more precisely into herd management. In this way, we support farms in meeting the increasing requirements for animal health, efficiency and professional herd management,” says Holger Siegwarth, Vice President Digital Solutions and Services at GEA.

Changes in activity, rumination or eating behavior can therefore be viewed not only as short-term observations, but also in context over longer periods of time. This allows patterns and behavior deviations to be identified earlier and management decisions to be made on a more informed basis.

What this means for daily barn routines

For dairy farmers, the main benefit is an improved basis for decision-making: Which animals currently require attention? Where do the data indicate possible health- or fertility-related changes? CowScout Cloud helps assess these indications faster and on a more informed basis – through centralized data availability, more precise classification of fertility indicators and health monitoring, and better prioritization in day-to-day operations. CowScout Cloud transforms herd data into structured, actionable insights and supports better decisions across the entire operation. This can reduce the effort required for manual animal observation. CowScout Cloud is therefore relevant both for growing farms and for operations with several locations.

An addition to GEA’s digital portfolio

CowScout Cloud does not replace existing systems but complements them. GEA DairyNet remains the herd and farm management system for operational processes and management information. CowScout Cloud also provides individual animal monitoring data in the cloud and can be integrated into DairyNet and – depending on the respective farm structure – into other digital management systems.

Availability, system requirements and pricing model

CowScout Cloud is available worldwide via the GEA dealer and service network. Consulting, installation and ongoing service are provided by regional sales partners and trained technicians on site.

Operation requires CowScout sensor technology on the animal (Neck Tag or new Ear Tag), suitable receiving and system technology in the barn, as well as cloud or software access. Existing CowScout installations can be upgraded to the new generation. The configuration is tailored individually to each farm.

The pricing model is modular and based on farm-specific requirements. It combines one-time investments in sensor technology, system technology and installation with ongoing subscriptions for cloud-based data analysis, software updates and platform functions. The specific calculation depends on herd size, scope of functions and existing equipment and is provided by authorized GEA sales partners.