In today’s competitive dairy industry, access to reliable and timely herd data is key to making informed decisions that drive performance. Munster Bovine’s milk recording service is one of the most valuable tools available to farmers seeking to optimise productivity, improve herd health, and increase profitability. With the integration of Milk Recording results into Munster Bovine's FarmOps solution, you no longer just get data – you get real insights – right at your fingertips.

Seamus O’ Donovan, a dedicated dairy farmer from Araglin, Co. Cork, is a strong advocate for milk recording and the FarmOps app. “I use FarmOps to look at my milk recording results after each test. The information is excellent and so easy to access,” Seamus explained. FarmOps allows him to stay consistently informed about his herd’s performance, helping him make better decisions in real-time.

Milk recording provides a detailed analysis of each cow’s yield and quality, tracking metrics like volume, fat & protein percentages, and somatic cell count (SCC). These insights are essential for identifying high-performing animals, pinpointing potential issues early, and managing overall herd health. FarmOps offers smart tools for sorting, filtering, and comparing performance data across the herd. Using the Milk Recording Lifetime rank, FarmOps makes it easy for you to find your best cows. With the Margin Analyser, you can find out why your best cows are your best; Is it genetics, days in milk, days dry, SCC?

“When I was selling heifer calves, I was able to use FarmOps to have a look at the performance of their dams to make sure I kept calves out of the best cows and the best families,” Seamus added. With this level of visibility, breeding and culling decisions become more strategic, enabling farmers to build a stronger, more productive herd, generation after generation.

Tackle SCC with the full picture

One of the most powerful features of milk recording is its role in mastitis management through SCC tracking. “It throws up the high cell count cows straight away and gives an SCC history on them, helping with treatment or culling decisions,” Seamus noted. This immediate access to SCC data helps farmers target problem cows faster, reducing the spread of infection and avoiding unnecessary treatments.

Better Decision Making with Milk Recording and FarmOps

FarmOps also supports long-term herd improvement. Seamus shared how the insights available through the app have been crucial in guiding his herd management decision changes: “I culled a nice few cows last year using the information on FarmOps. I am delighted with the results as my litres/cow and percentages are way up and cell count has gone down.” His experience highlights how better data leads to smarter culling choices, improved overall performance, and better milk quality.

Munster Bovine’s milk recording service, combined with the FarmOps digital platform, empowers farmers with the tools to monitor, manage, and enhance their herd with confidence. Whether it's tracking yields, improving breeding decisions, reducing cell counts, or boosting profitability, milk recording is an investment that pays for itself. Farmers using this service are seeing the difference – and as Seamus’s experience shows, the benefits of milk recording are not just theoretical; they’re visible in the tank and on the bottom line.