Katie England from DRMS talks about new HerdHQ tools - RapidReports and BovineBio

In this episode of DairyVoice podcast, host Mike Opperman of Black Dirt Communications talks with Katie England, Technical Support Analyst with DRMS. They discuss the HerdHQ platform and the new RapidReports and BovineBio products, both introduced this year. Because speed and accessibility are such a big deal in herd management, DRMS has introduced RapidReports and BovineBio, which connects together naturally with HerdHQ. Both products will support a better solution for herd management.

For more information, you can go to https://www.drms.org/HerdHQ/What-Is-HerdHQ.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:06

You're listening to Dairy Voice by Dairy Business News, a podcast exclusively for the dairy industry.

SPEAKER_02 0:18

One of our sponsors of the Dairy Voice Podcast is National DHIA. And DHIA ensures information accuracy and represents their members' interests. They are the direct voice for the dairy information industry. To find out more, go to DHIA.org.

SPEAKER_04 0:37

This episode is brought to you by DRMS. DRMS is excited to introduce Rapid Reports and Bovine Bio, two new tools within the HerdHQ platform. Rapid Reports gives you instant access to individual animal data from any web browser on any device. Use test day or Dart Sync data from your processed herd to build and customize reports, sort and filter results, create lists unique to your goals, and drill down to individual cow pages with Cow Compass. Bovine Bio brings flexible, user-defined views of individual cow and heifer data, allowing you to build pages around your priorities, from genetics and reproduction to health and performance using intuitive drag and drop tools and custom alerts. Bovine Bio helps tell the full story of your animals anytime on any internet connected device. Herd HQ. See what's happening in your herd. Learn more at drms.org slash herdhq slash what dash is dash herdhq.

SPEAKER_01 1:34

Hey everybody, I'm Mike Opperman, owner of Black Dirk Communications and host of the ChatBDC podcast. You can actually access through the Dairy Business.com website. Today I'll be your host for Dairy Voice, podcast produced by Dairy Business News. Even with today's herd management systems, accessing the right information at the right time remains a challenge for busy dairy producers and their consultants. In this episode, we talk with Katie Englund, technical support analyst at DRMS, about the importance of clear data visibility from herd level trends to individual cow detail. The conversation focuses on how having structured accessible views of herd and cow data can help teams stay organized, prioritize attention, and avoid missed insights that impact performance. Katie will share her perspectives on how clear data views support more informed decisions within day-to-day herd management workflows. We'll also touch on how newer tools within the herd HQ platform are already helping dairies put that visibility into practice. With all that said, Katie, welcome.

SPEAKER_05 2:42

Thanks for having me.

SPEAKER_01 2:43

Tell us a little bit about your role at DRMS and what are some of the things you focus on.

SPEAKER_05 2:48

So I am a tech support analyst, as you mentioned, with DRMS, and I am based out of our Ames Iowa office. I have been with the company now for a little over five years, and a big part of my role is working directly with producers, consultants, DHI service affiliates, and their technicians to help them actually use her data in a practical way. A lot of the times it's not just about having the information available, it's about helping people turn that information into decisions that they can actually act on day to day.

SPEAKER_01 3:26

Talk through some of the things you're hearing from Darius about the biggest challenges they face when it comes to herd data.

SPEAKER_05 3:33

I think the biggest thing that everyone kind of hears is that there's just a lot of data coming out producers today. I mean, between your parlor system, your heat monitoring, reproduction data, genomics, health, all that information exists. But I think people don't always have the time to be able to sit in an office behind the computer to actually sort through all that information. And a lot of the times it's just overwhelming. So trying to find that starting point for producers on how do I get started, how to use that data. And I think a lot of the time, too, that producers know that something needs attention, but it's again figuring out where to start that can be overwhelming.

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SPEAKER_05 5:15

We know that on the farm, dairy operations, they move fast. There's one thing after another. You don't really get a break on the farm. So decisions are happening every minute in the barn, in the parlor, down in the maternity pin, the calf barn. So if it takes too long to get the information, decipher through it, sometimes opportunities are getting missed or issues become bigger before they're being caught.

SPEAKER_01 5:45

Yeah, a lot of times I hear folks saying, I have all this data, now what do I do with it? So when it comes to that, why is speed and accessibility such a big deal?

SPEAKER_05 5:54

So being able with the timing matters. On farm, they're busy, they don't have the time to sit behind the computer. So being able to access the information wherever they are. So being able to have that cow side is really important. Being able to quickly identify cows that need attention while you're already back in the pen, that really changes how efficiently a team can respond. So even if it's saving a few minutes repeatedly throughout the day can really add up. So if having a cow that we need more information on, well, I don't know what's going on, what her story is. Let me walk back up to the office, go through the information, make the decision, walk back out. It really does add up over time. And a lot of time producers and their teams don't have that luxury. And then also to being able to identify issues and trends faster, the more proactive you can be instead of reacting to it later and trying to play catch up. I think that's a big thing with a lot of producers and consultants. It's always we've found the issue that's been going on. How can we do it moving forward to be alerted earlier, to be proactive and get ahead of it?

SPEAKER_01 7:14

So let's talk a little bit about HerdHQ, kind of at a high level. How does that platform address some of these challenges that are going on?

SPEAKER_05 7:23

Yeah, the accessibility challenge with producers having that information at their fingertips. Herd HQ allows that because as long as you have an internet access, it doesn't matter what operating system you're running, you're able to access that data. And then it's also pretty easy to work through. We try to make it as user-friendly as possible. That way users are spending less time searching through all that data and then more time responding to what actually needs attention. And then another neat thing, too, is you have the ability to support both the overall herd level decision making, but then also the ability to drill down to that individual cow level, which makes it really important because sometimes you're looking for overall trends, and other times you just need to know what's going on with one specific animal. And our tools within the herd HQ suite are able to accomplish all those goals.

SPEAKER_01 8:27

That's a really powerful tool. I know one of the other tools that you introduced earlier this year, and it's already being used on some of the dairies is rapid reports. What problem was this tool designed to solve?

SPEAKER_05 8:40

So with rapid reports, it was really built around speed and accessibility. A lot of producers and consultants have the ability to make reports and build them from scratch, but then being able to save them, access them wherever they are, and being able to pull information from multiple systems. So getting all those data points into one spot.

SPEAKER_01 9:48

It's a really powerful tool. What are some of the things or what does rapid reports actually allow those end users to do then?

SPEAKER_05 9:56

So there's a lot of flexibility with rapid reports because we know each farm has different goals and what they're looking at. And then even on the operations themselves, each role has different goals and data that they want to evaluate. So you're able to have that flexibility between users. So you can build and customize reports about what really matters most for their roles. Within Rapid Reports, you're able to sort, filter, reorder information, highlight, and focus, focus on specific metrics, and then even set visual alert. That way cows and trends stand out immediately. I worked on as a herdsman previously to my role here. And so there would be many times where I would have my report printed out, but then I'm still going through and highlighting the information that I need. So there was still a lot of that manual intervention. Having this new visual alert alongside rapid reports really makes it a powerful tool because you're able to stop digging through that data and just have it pop right out at you. So you're able to act on it more quickly.

SPEAKER_01 11:15

It sounds like rapid reports changes the way producers and consultants interact with their herd data every day. Is that right?

SPEAKER_05 11:23

Correct. Yes. Just being able to save that time on report creation. If you know there's a trend, an area that you want to keep an eye on, being able to set up a rapid report, have those alerts set, you can be able to monitor it constantly to see, okay, are we making improvements? Or do we still need to make some changes to see it go in a different direction? So being able to have that saved and again being able to access it anywhere. So if you're in the barn or if you're able to get off the farm and sit on that beach, you can look at that information anywhere.

SPEAKER_01 12:05

And that leads us, I guess, to another product that was uh introduced earlier this year, and that's bovine bio. What role does bovine bio play within herd HQ?

SPEAKER_05 12:15

Bulvine bio is really designed to tell the story of that individual cow. It brings together your health information, reproduction, genetics, and production performance all into one customizable cow level view. And I think that's the key thing is that it's customizable.

SPEAKER_01 12:37

So, how is that different from traditional cow pages that some producers may be used to?

SPEAKER_05 12:43

Previously, you were kind of stuck with a standard cow page report that would give you the basic information, which is great, but maybe it's too much information that you might not need to know, and it just kind of clutters everything up. So being able to customize it to the roles and priorities is huge. It's very easy to use with a drag and drop customizations. So there's a plethora of data points that you can take a look at, not with just basic data points, but also tables and graphs can get pulled in. So it's easy to set up so that way we're able to then kind of expand that to multiple roles on the farm because priorities between roles are different. So, for example, the lead melter in the parlor may have their saved bullvine bio tab that's more focused heavily on health alerts and production data and cows that are needing immediate attention because they're there in the parlor. I just want to know these specific information. I don't want to go scrolling, searching through the points that I need. But meanwhile, back in the barn in the pins, the breeder that's walking may have a completely different save tab for their bovine bio that's looking more at stage of lactation, suggested service sires, and genetic information. So it's really getting to the point for the roles on the farm, getting that information quickly and easily to the end user. And of course, when it's web-based, they can access it anytime, anywhere. So again, not having to go up to the office to find that information, you have it right in the palm of your hand.

SPEAKER_01 14:39

How does bovine bio then integrate into the rest of herdhq?

SPEAKER_05 14:43

I think the neat thing with our herdhq platform is that the tools really connect together naturally. So with being able to identify priority list or a trend within rapid reports, you find out your cows that you need to maybe drill down a little bit more. So you take a look at bovine bio to really okay understand full context about that individual cow. I think a great example on that is of course looking at utter health. You might have a test day that, oh, we really shot up with our somatic cell count. What's going on? We've taken a look at trends, we can then drill down to a group level or with actual pins or even stage of lactation or lactation groups, but then we start drilling down to those individual animals, and we can see there's only two cows that are really contributing to our high somatic cell count. So being able to start off on that large herd level view and then bring it down to that individual helps make decisions day to day. So it really helps create that continuity from identifying that issue to actually deciding what action to take.

SPEAKER_01 16:02

So we've talked about rapid reports, we've talked about bovine bio. How do they how do those two things work together?

SPEAKER_05 16:09

Producer or a consultant might start reviewing her lists within rapid reports and identifying cows that are needing attention, either maybe health concern like massitis or reproduction follow-up that she didn't get bred on our timed AI, and we want to make sure that we're not any having any cows slip through our timed AI protocols. So being able to use rapid reports, identify those animals. From there, they can then take a look into Bullvine Bio and review more detailed cow level information. So, kind of that example with our cow that didn't get bred for some reason on that last round of timed AI. What was the reason behind it? It might be that we're taking now a look at her groove movement. So she was actually out of her normal pen and was in the sick pen. So then being able to, hey, okay, this cow kind of fell through the cracks. Let's get her back on track before she gets too far out for days of milk, and we're now looking at a culling decision versus potentially having a calf on the ground. Being able again to take a look at that herd level down to that individual cow level, they can then decide the next steps that they want to take much faster and more confidently too.

SPEAKER_01 17:37

Who do you see getting the most value from those two tools, the rapid reports and the bovine bio?

SPEAKER_05 17:44

I mean, it's really anyone who's looking to improve their efficiency, but especially I think larger herds managing a high volume of animals, either at one site or across multiple sites. And that's kind of goes alongside with consultants too, who are working with multiple operations, but they can, for reports, be able to create reports and kind of put them alongside because herd A and herd B, they have similar goals. So they're able to create those reports but run it with those different herd data and come out with different outcomes. I think other thing too is teams that really value consistency, accountability, and being able to have that faster decision making, I think tend to see a lot of benefit because these tools help streamline that communication and the follow-up with those decisions.

SPEAKER_01 18:42

These are already available within herd HQ and already being used, right?

SPEAKER_05 18:47

Correct, yes.

SPEAKER_01 18:48

Yes. So what should producers or consultants do now to start using them in their own workflows?

SPEAKER_05 18:56

First step is making sure that they are consistently processing her data through monthly DHI testing. So working closely with their DHI service affiliate. So getting that data up to date and current. From there, it's really about evaluating their current workflow and identifying where visibility gaps exist today. And so that's kind of both along with the producers and the consultants, having that team effort to see, okay, these are the areas that we want to focus on right now, and then being able to implement these tools day to day. The producers and consultants that are getting the most value early on are the ones that are actively using their tools as part of their daily decision-making process rather than reviewing it only occasionally. So it's being able to keep up making sure we're following through with that information that's coming to them through these tools. And then kind of getting started, of course, reaching out to our support line here at DRMS for assistance with setting up the tools or even doing some one-on-one training as well, if if needed.

SPEAKER_01 20:16

Katie, as we kind of put a bow on this big picture, how do tools like Rapid Reports and Bovine Bio kind of support better herd management over time? So kind of looking at using this over a you know a period of time, how is that going to help herd management?

SPEAKER_05 20:33

I think for every herd out there, the goal is to move from reacting to problems to staying ahead of them. So being able to access information quickly and having it be clear and understandable for the users so they can act on them, that teams can make those decisions faster, and then being more consistent with that follow-through and focusing on where their time matters most. That's where tools like Rapid Reports and Bovine Bio can really make a difference day to day.

SPEAKER_01 21:12

Well, it's all about managing data, right? And doing it efficiently and quickly. Yeah. Well, thanks so much, Katie, for your insights today.

SPEAKER_05 21:20

Nope, I'm happy to share. And like I said, if there's any users that are interested in it, we love talking about our tools and how it can make that day-to-day easier for the producers. Because like some of us, we were on the other end.

SPEAKER_01 21:36

Well, thanks, Katie, and thanks everyone for listening into this conversation with Katie Englin from DRMS. As dairies manage increasing volumes of data across multiple systems, having clear accessible views at both the herd and individual cow level becomes increasingly important. This past discussion highlights how improved data visibility helps producers and consultants see what matters most. Take timely action. As more dairies begin using tools like rapid reports and bovine bio within herdhq, that visibility is becoming easier to access and act on in day-to-day workflows. If you want to learn more, go to this website, drms.org slash herdhq slash what dash is dash herdhq, or connect with your local DHIE service affiliate to get started today. Thanks again, everybody. This has been Mike Opperman for Dairy Voice from Dairy Business News.