Tru-Test Dairy WoW enables targeted feeding and cost savings

At Caulston Farm in South Devon, Adam Atkinson manages 600 Kiwi Cross cows in a pasture-based seasonal dairy system where timing and precision are critical.

With all cows calving within a tight nine-week window, maintaining optimal body condition and identifying heats quickly can have a major impact on reproductive performance and overall profitability.

But in a large seasonal system, monitoring every individual cow manually is both time-consuming and difficult to sustain.

Missing a heat can delay calving and reduce productivity, while cows in poor condition are less likely to conceive within the breeding window. At the same time, traditional observation methods required several hours of labour every day.

To improve herd monitoring and simplify decision-making, Caulston Farm introduced Tru-Test Active Tag Collars together with the Dairy WoW 4000 autonomous weighing system.

The combination of behavioural monitoring and real-time weighing data gave Adam and his team immediate visibility into cow health, fertility, and body condition — without increasing daily workload.

“Guesswork is gone. Precise heat detection and insemination timing have freed up a labour unit and allowed us to focus on other areas of the farm.”

Heat detection time was reduced from three hours per day to just 10–15 minutes, while real-time weight data made it possible to identify cows losing condition earlier and manage them more effectively.

Instead of increasing supplement feed across the entire herd, Adam now uses weight data to create targeted groups for thinner cows, improving condition while reducing unnecessary feed costs.

The result has been improved reproductive performance, healthier cows, and significant operational savings.

Caulston Farm achieved an increase in conception rates, improved the six-week in-calf rate from 82% to 86%, and reduced supplement usage by 100 kg per cow — generating approximately £30,000 in feed savings across the herd.

Beyond the financial impact, the system has also improved day-to-day management by enabling faster interventions, reducing stress on staff, and supporting better animal health outcomes through earlier detection and treatment monitoring.

“The ability to make management decisions earlier has completely changed how we manage the herd throughout the season.”

Today, Caulston Farm is using precision livestock technology not only to improve efficiency, but also to build a more resilient and sustainable dairy operation for the future.

Download here Caulston farm’s case study as pdf