An internet application for oestrus and mastitis detection in dairy cows

A detection model for oestrus and mastitis, based on sensor measurements of yield, temperature, electrical conductivity of milk and cow’s activity, was implemented as an internet application. The output of the detection model, oestrus and mastitis alerts, is presented to the farmer on a passwordprotected internet page. The application was tested on two practical dairy farms. A lot of start-up problems occurred, making a quantitative evaluation difficult. Mastitis detection results were good: almost all alerts were true positive. Most oestrus cases were also detected, but false positive alerts were a problem. Sensor problems occurred frequently and influenced the results. Both farmers agreed that the internet application showed a surplus value. The internet detection application is an example of the added value of data exchange in the dairy chain.