BOWNE TOWNSHIP, Mich. — Dairy farmers are using fitness trackers, similar to Fitbits and smartwatches, to learn more about their cows.
SwissLane Farms has been a fan of the technology for about seven years as the staff tries to stay ahead of its competition.
"We're finding that if we don't, we're not going to be able to keep up with our competition," Tom Oesch, the dairy operations manager told 24 Hour News 8.
"Lightyears ahead" is a core value at the four-generation farm. "We've been milking cows for over 100 years," Oesch said.
While there have been several recent news articles about farms trying out these so-called "cow Fitbits," the West Michigan farm began using them in 2011.
Technology is important on Oesch's family farm, which is home to more than 2,500 cows.
SwissLane Farms has milking stations that don't require any human interaction. The cows decide when to go in then laser technology helps the machine find and clean their udders before milking.