WKU SmartHolstein Lab

04/14/2026

Way to go Jadyn! 🐄

Jadyn Sanchez presented her work with Dr Gunter at the WKU student scholar showcase. She is working with the SmartHolstein lab to establish current Holstein udder confirmation guidelines utilizing a multi-herd survey of linear classification traits.WKU Department Of Agriculture Alumni - OfficialOgden College of Science & Engineering at WKU

04/07/2026

In the latest episode of Holstein Connections, Registered Holstein breeder Jill Nelson joins Sarah Sarbacker, Director of Sales and Market Development at Holstein Association USA, for a conversation about her experience with stray voltage.

Jill farms with her family at Olmar Farms in Sleepy Eye, Minnesota. Through perseverance, Jill and her family have resolved their stray voltage issues and their herd of Registered Holsteins is thriving. Now, she’s made it her mission to help others who may be navigating the same thing.

Listen to the podcast here: https://tr.ee/yrHXmz8Qdx

04/01/2026

Dr. Bewley's presentation at the High Plains Dairy Conference in Amarillo, Texas covered in Dairy Herd Management explains how AI-powered cameras work to solve the subjectivity problem in body condition scoring, automatically detect lameness, monitor feed availability at the feedbunk, and even catch missed teat dips in the parlor.

He breaks down when to invest now versus wait and watch. Check out the full article to gain insight on if it's time to invest in AI-powered cameras on your operation.

With annual returns up to 500% and a massive reduction in lameness costs, discover why AI-powered computer vision is the high-ROI investment redefining modern dairy profitability.

03/20/2026

Check out this article on Offrange discussing lameness and referencing Holstein Association USA's Build a Better Cow System🐮

New technology aims to help cattle breeders deal with a down-to-earth problem: lameness in their herds.

03/16/2026

Check out this article on iCHASE! We have this system at the SmartHolstein Lab and it is so cool to watch.

Birds are a costly nuisance around the farm. A new technology using laser beams could offer another way to keep them away.

03/16/2026

https://www.dairyherd.com/news/education/how-ai-learning-read-dairy-herd-data

From predicting lameness to estimating milk production months ahead, artificial intelligence is starting to change how dairy farms use their herd data.

12/24/2025

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from the WKU SmartHolstein Lab! 🐄🎄

11/27/2025

Happy Thanksgiving from the WKU SmartHolstein Lab! 🦃🐄
Here on the farm, our cows enjoy an endless Thanksgiving-style buffet every day thanks to innovative technologies from DeLaval and Cainthus.

DeLaval’s automatic feed pusher keeps fresh feed within easy reach for our cows all day long.
Cainthus’ feedbunk management system alerts us when feed levels get low, helping us keep these hardworking girls fed around the clock.

Grateful for good cows, good tech, and good science this Thanksgiving!

10/31/2025

👻🎃 Happy Halloween from the Smart Holstein Lab! Advancing dairy science one smart cow at a time—no tricks, just data-driven treats! 🐄🧡

10/28/2025

💡 Technology Tuesday: The Afimilk AfiCollar at the WKU SmartHolstein Lab goes beyond rumination and activity monitoring — it now measures individual cow dry matter intake and feed efficiency.

These insights help identify which cows convert feed into milk most efficiently, supporting more informed management decisions and breeding strategies for a genetically efficient herd.🐄

09/18/2025

Learn about the future of conformation analysis with Holstein Association USA’s presentation on the Build a Better Cow System during World Dairy Expo's Knowledge Nook.

The system uses 3D cameras and AI to measure 26 traits like body condition score and locomotion indicators as cows move naturally through the milking parlor.

Hear more from Dr. Bewley at World Dairy Expo:
📍 Knowledge Nook
🗓️ Wednesday, October 1
⏰ 2:30 p.m.
📺 Or watch live on Expo TV