I've had an Apple smartwatch for years, and I really only

used it to track my workouts. I never actually did anything
with the workout data, but it felt like the "right" thing to do.
I got into the mindset that if I didn't log my workout on the
watch, it didn't count—which obviously isn't true. I just
liked collecting as much data as possible. Over time I
finally started using that information differently. Instead of
just collecting numbers, I spent time looking at trends and
using the data to make more informed lifestyle decisions.
As a researcher, I don't think there's anything wrong with
collecting lots of data. However, data are ultimately
meaningless if we never do anything with them.
With so many emerging technologies in the dairy industry,
it's hard not to be drawn in by the promise of collecting
more information on your cows. The question I would ask
is: Are you currently using the data you already collect to
its fullest potential, and will the new data actually allow
you to do something you can't already accomplish with
your existing information?
One thing we want to avoid is data fatigue, collecting so
much information that we don't know where to start or
simply aren't using all of it. A 2022 paper published by
researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison
surveyed dairy farmers about data management and
governance and reported some fascinating results
(Fadul-Pacheco et al., 2022). They found that 63% of
farmers relied on the data they collected for daily decision
making, yet when they asked the farmers how long they
spent exploring or analyzing the data 62.5% of farmers
said they spent less than a hour a day. The authors
hypothesized that high workload, lack of time, and lack of
tools to provide farmers with relevant info in a userfriendly
way could be the reasoning behind the low data
engagement. In other words, most farms probably don't
have a data collection problem. They have a data
utilization problem.
The dairy industry as a whole does a great job at
collecting data and a recent Hoard's Dairyman article by
Kylene Anderson, "Humans have a fraction of the data"
highlighted the potential that could be realized if data are
leveraged together across the industry. Unfortunately,
there tends to be a gap between the amount of
information available and our ability to effectively use it on
farm. This is where collaboration with your community is
key. Dairy farmers have access to their veterinarian,
nutritionist, sales representatives, and extension
professionals who all care deeply about the success of
the farms they work with. While these partnerships can
help lessen data fatigue, it's important that producers
understand how their data are being managed and
shared.

There seems to be a lack of transparency surrounding datasharing
protocols with only 34.3% of farmers knowing who
has access to their farm data and only 19% of farmers
reporting they signed a data sharing agreement in the last 5
years (Fadul-Pacheco et. al, 2022). As an industry, we
should continue striving to improve data transparency and
increase education around data governance on farm so
producers can feel confident and informed about how their
data are being used.
If you have ideas about how you'd like to better utilize your
farm's data—or you're not sure where to start—feel free to
reach out. I'd be happy to help develop a data utilization plan
and even explore grant opportunities that could help you
make better use of your data and improve decision-making
on your farm. Katie Callero - 607-422-6788 -
krc85@cornell.edu

References:
• Anderson, Kylene. (2026). Humans have a fraction
of the data. Hoard's Dairyman.
• Fadul-Pacheco, L., Wangen, S., Da Silva, T. E., &
Cabrera, V. (2022). Addressing Data Bottlenecks
in the Dairy Farm Industry. Animals : an Open
Access Journal from MDPI, 12.
https://doi.org/10.3390/ani120...