Automated health management systems are enabling farmers to tackle health challenges head-on while also boosting milk volumes at a time of dairy industry pressure, according to smaXtec.

The need for effective treatments was highlighted by the latest Kingshay Antimicrobial Focus Report 2025 which revealed a huge disparity in antibiotic usage between individual dairy herds, despite showing an overall 4% drop in average antibiotic use across all farms.

Robert Kirk, UK country sales manager at smaXtec, which produces a bolus-based health management system, says by alerting farmers to health challenges before veterinary treatment is needed, the smaXtec systems are helping farmers reduce their antibiotic use alongside other benefits.

“The problem is that farms in the top quarter of users were using about six times more antibiotics than those in the bottom quarter,” says Mr Kirk.

“In addition, more than half the herds shifted their usage bracket in just one year, highlighting how a disease outbreak can quickly alter a farm’s antibiotic usage.”

According to Mr Kirk, the report shows how many farmers are still being caught out by health challenges in their herds and are therefore turning to antibiotics.

However, Mr Kirk says that by catching health problems early through the use of an automated health management system, farmers can save time and money going forward.

“Our device sits in the reticulum of the cow or heifer and accurately gives insight into her body temperature, water intake and drinking cycles, rumination, and activity level,” Mr Kirk adds.

“It works by taking continuous measurements with everything connected to an app on a mobile phone, which provides alerts when the measurements suggest any problems such as mastitis, low water intake or milk fever.”

Third-generation farmer Robin White, who farms in Dumfries and Galloway, says smaXtec technology has helped him significantly reduce antibiotic use in his 160-head Holstein-Friesian herd.

He says: “We looked at our antibiotic usage and it was too high and costly, so we were drawn to the cow internal body temperature monitoring feature and alert system of the boluses.

“Since using the smaXtec system, we have been able to reduce our antibiotic usage by 66% thanks to the bolus accuracy measuring to the nearest 0.01degC.

“A rise in temperature has helped me administer anti-inflammatories quickly, reducing the risk of mastitis. The system has also helped detect ketosis in newly calved cows by identifying a drop in body temperature."

With fluctuating milk prices and uncertainty in the dairy market, Mr White says the consistency of the milk in the tank for his farm has been a game changer.

He explains: “When we were using antibiotics a lot, the amount of milk was hard to predict and seeing consistent milk levels since installing the system has given us confidence in our production stability.

“It has changed my business without a shadow of a doubt; it’s all money at the end of the day and it all adds up.”

For further information on the smaXtec system, visit our website here.