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It’s common knowledge that any protocol deviations at the farm can lead to cows’ diseases, worsening the milk quality and milk loss. Cattle Care helps the dairies be proactive and spots these deviations capturing them as short video clips. The software also tracks progress, reports errors and specific incidents so that the manager can address them effectively and incentivize preferred behaviors. Here are the statistics about the five most common employee mistakes that Cattle Care identifies in a milking parlor. 1. Towel accidents Improper usage of towels for cows can end up in growing mastitis cases at a dairy. The system spots various protocol deviations such as using one towel for two cows without flipping in between or for several cows in a row; using dirty towels (for example, from the floor) before wiping the cow. 2. Manual detaches of machines too soon Even if a parlor has an automatic vacuum shutoff based on milk flow, it can be common for workers to manually detach machines too soon in order to get the work done earlier. As a result, a dairy can observe significant milk loss that could be easily prevented. 3. Missed postdip The use of a post milking disinfection has been validated as a standard good milking practice and an essential part of mastitis management. Incorrect usage of post dipping sprays or even missing the routine can lead to massive mastitis spread among cows. 4. Cow-human interactions Animal wellbeing is undoubtedly of the highest priority for every dairyman. It’s important to spot and eliminate any cases of unnecessary and potentially harmful cow-human interactions. Cattle Care developed a 5-point scoring system that categorizes human-cow interactions that might be seen in a parlor. In addition to that, dairymen get an immediate alert if an unnecessary interaction scored with a 4 or a 5 happened at the dairy. 5. Phone and resting The mistake includes miscellaneous events when milkers are not doing their job and that can potentially slow down the work in a milking parlor. For instance, milkers can use their phone for a long time, smoke, eat or just hang around in a milking parlor. Please reach out if you’re interested to learn more about issues happening in your milking parlor:

After only one-month of using automated video analytics for his milking parlor, California dairyman Cornell Kasbergen knew the new monitoring technology he was using would pay dividends. “I’ve seen better adherence to our protocols since we started using the Cattle Care system. I believe that every dairy farm can benefit by using this system. If a dairy thinks their milkers are doing a good job all the time, this will prove them wrong.” Kasbergen’s dairy in Tulare, California, has been using new technology from Cattle Care to surveil milking shifts and highlight when actions deviate from the dairy’s prescribed protocols. How it works San Francisco-based video monitoring company Cattle Care taps into a dairy’s existing security camera, captures video from a milking shift and uploads it for processing on the company’s secure servers. The company’s video analytics algorithms can spot deviations from what a producer would expect to see in a milking parlor operating at 100 percent efficiency. For example, the company’s service can spot when a milker manually removes a milking unit too soon, doesn’t post-dip a cow or is on their phone during a milking shift. These deviations are captured as short video clips and made available for a producer to view and share in their own online dashboard. How it’s used Kasbergen says the clips are helpful for training and reminding employees about protocols. On his dairies, when actions get flagged and appear in one of the clips, the employees become “movie stars.” He uses the clips during monthly trainings to teach employees and improve performance. “The employees don’t like to be movie stars,” he jokes. Before trying the system, Kasbergen was dubious if it would be worth using. He assumed that his employees followed protocols as they had been instructed. The program quickly showed otherwise. “It’s a great teaching and training tool, milkers stay in bounds with procedures now. If they get out of bounds, Cattle Care finds them. If you don’t show them every once in a while, that you’re watching, they will drift.” Using machine vision, Cattle Care can spot when a milker manually removes a milking unit too soon, doesn’t post-dip a cow or is on their phone during a milking shift. The technology can identify and report 20+ common issues dairy owners and managers would want to know about if occurring in their own parallel or rotary milking parlor. What it returns on investment Since starting with Cattle Care, the system has helped reduce the somatic cell count at the two farms where the system has been installed. “When you’re chasing somatic cell issues, if the milkers aren’t doing their job, it makes the job of trying to figure out where issues are coming from that much harder,” Kasbergen says. In addition to monitoring for protocol deviation, Cattle Care can also monitor for aggressive behavior towards cows, giving dairies some peace of mind that if an animal care issue were going on in the parlor the system would find it. In total, it can identify 20 potential issues in a parallel parlor like Kasbergen’s. Plus, if cameras are available in the holding pen or bulk tank room, monitoring activities are also available for those areas. The system doesn’t just have to look for errors either. A dairy can have it tally the number of positive events it spots during a shift – such as good wiping, stripping, pre-dipping, post-dipping and cow handling. The service is offered for a monthly subscription fee. Often, a dairy with existing parlor security cameras has no additional set up or equipment installation costs. “It covers a lot of bases,” Kasbergen says. Each time he questions if he really needs it, he sees something in one of the clips the system generates that makes him glad the system caught the issue and alerted him to it. “I believe that it’s a valuable tool that will return many times the subscription cost,” Kasbergen says. Cattle Care is currently monitoring dairies and parlors milking more than 75,000 cows in the U.S. For a free demo of what Cattle Care can find on a single day in your parlor video, contact (559) 380-2550 or visit https://www.cattle-care.com/milking-parlor . Please reach out if you're interested to learn more:

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Parlor efficiency is important but don’t sacrifice milk quality for speedy cow throughput. The bottom line for milking time in a double-12 parlor: It should take about 12 minutes per side to milk, or five turns per hour. To evaluate parlor efficiency, dairies track such things as cows milked per hour, turns per hour, or pounds of milk per unit per hour with the goal of improving efficiency. Questions are: What are reasonable measurements of effi­ciency? How important is the milk quality? What’s the relationship between parlor effi­ciency and milk quality? Rusty Korth, a QMPS’ client in Caledonia, N.Y., says, “The first issue is to do those things that pro­mote milk quality, and the second is to do those things efficiently.” (full article is here ) What do we do at Cattle Care? We show dairymen not only good procedures and routines but also what is going wrong in the parlor and when it happens. We are doing that using existing cameras at a dairy. “Individual routines quality” The computer vision algorithm measures the quality of prep (pre-dipping, stripping, and post-dipping), breaks it down by individual, and provides performance data based on thresholds set by dairyman. As a result, a dairyman gets statistics on specific employees with video samples that could be used for incentivizing or training purposes. We create cards for each worker - you can choose your farms hero! “Throughput charts” As a part of our milking parlor product, the chart shows how much time it took for the milkers to do a certain milking procedure. Dairymen can see, for instance, how many minutes were spent to have all the cows milked starting with prepping the first cow. Another example is the time of loading and preparation of cows. If you want to know more about Cattle Care products please feel free to contact us!

Cameras in milking parlors are important for monitoring the milk production process. They are designed to work in high humidity environments and provide confidence in the process. Besides monitoring equipment, they also allow farmers to remotely oversee the operation. This article explores factors influencing camera performance in humid settings, such as moisture protection, reliability, and durability. Moisture Protection:  Humid environments are characterized by high levels of moisture in the air, which can pose a potential threat to electronic devices like cameras. A camera designed to withstand humid conditions incorporates features that shield its internal components from moisture, preventing problems such as condensation, corrosion, and electrical damage.   Reliable Performance:  Cameras not explicitly engineered for humid environments may encounter malfunctions or reduced performance when exposed to elevated humidity levels. Opting for a camera built to endure humidity ensures consistent and dependable performance even in challenging conditions.   Longevity:  Humidity can expedite the wear and tear of electronic devices over time. A camera equipped with proper moisture protection boasts an extended lifespan in humid environments, reducing the necessity for frequent repairs or replacements.   Image Quality:  Excessive humidity can lead to fogging or condensation on camera lenses, resulting in blurred or distorted images. Cameras tailored for humid environments often incorporate anti-fogging mechanisms or lens coatings to uphold clear and sharp image quality. In summary, a camera designed to thrive in humid conditions provides enhanced protection, reliability, and durability, guaranteeing the capability to capture high-quality images and videos even in adverse humidity conditions.   We offer several cost-effective recommendations currently available on Amazon :   Hikvision ECI-T24F2 4MP:  This is an economical, entry-level outdoor camera equipped with all the necessary specifications for monitoring. Hikvision DS-2DE3A400BW-DE:  This PTZ camera option is perfect for adjusting and offers versatile angles or station placement, making it an excellent choice for rotating setups. Hikvision DS-2CD2183G0-I:  If you require a high-resolution streaming camera, this camera exceeds the required specifications. It's also a good option if you plan to install a local recorder in the future.   IP Camera Setup:  Before connecting the IP camera, ensure it's correctly configured, typically accomplished through software provided by the camera manufacturer or via a web interface. Connect the IP camera to the network using an Ethernet cable and verify that it's powered on.    Configuration:  Ensure you have a functional local network with a router or switch that provides internet connectivity. The IP camera should be assigned an IP address within the same subnet as your local network.   Accessing the IP Camera from a Device:  To access the IP camera from a smartphone or computer, install an IP camera management application or software. Consult the camera's documentation or the manufacturer for guidance on accessing the camera using a specific application or software.   Remote Viewing Configuration:  For external access to the IP camera, set up port forwarding on your router. Consult your router's manufacturer documentation for specific instructions on configuring port forwarding. After port forwarding is set up, you can access the IP camera using your router's public IP address and the designated port.   Checking Public IP:  To ascertain if you have a public IP address for video transmission to cattle-care servers, use a search engine to find your public IP address. Alternatively, access your router's web administration page and locate the WAN IP or Public IP field, or use an IP address lookup tool to determine if it's a public or private IP address.   Remote Connection for Network and Camera Monitoring:  Sometimes a monitoring system may require additional support, and this is where remote access comes into play. It can expedite and economize the servicing process. One of the popular options for remote access is TeamViewer, as featured in this article. While it's not the only option, it is recommended as one of the most suitable choices. Schedule a one-hour remote connection session using a local computer to gather technical information on the network and live camera monitoring.   Download and install TeamViewer. Visit the TeamViewer website at www.teamviewer.com , download the TeamViewer software, and follow the on-screen instructions to install it on your computer. In the TeamViewer interface, provide your unique “ID” and “Password” to trusted individuals for remote assistance. This remote session will help gather data on network status and camera services for more effective monitoring. Also, pay attention to important security aspects by granting access only to trusted individuals to maintain confidentiality. Furthermore, take advantage of the dynamic password option, which allows you to generate a new password for each remote session. This means that every time you use TeamViewer, the password is updated, enhancing security and making it unique for each session.   Furthermore, many cameras in milking parlors are equipped with motion detectors and have special camera angles, facilitating the monitoring process. Motion detectors can automatically activate the camera when motion is detected, illuminating workers and providing clearer monitoring. Different camera angles can allow for detecting different types of issues. For example, to monitor the employee out-of-position issue, a wide-angle view covering the entire parlor may be necessary, whereas to detect towel-accident issues, a camera focused on individual workers may be required. This article is a recommendation. You can choose a camera for your milk barn yourself, and we can work with almost any type that meets the conditions.

As an AI company specializing in computer vision video analytics, we know the value of using technology to improve the efficiency and quality of the milking process in a dairy farm. With cow CCTV analytics you can easily monitor and analyze the milking process using the existing cameras on the farm, providing valuable insights to managers or milkers and helping them optimize a farm's performance. So, how does it work? The process begins with the preparation of the CCTV system in the milking parlor for remote access. Our software then connects to the CCTV system and extracts footage of the milking process for analysis by our computer vision algorithms in the cloud. The information extracted from the footage includes the number of cows being milked, the speed and efficiency of the milking process, and any potential issues or problems that may arise. There are numerous benefits to using CCTV analytics in the milking parlor. For starters, it can help optimize the milking process by identifying bottlenecks or areas where improvements can be made, leading to increased efficiency and productivity on the farm. Additionally, the system can monitor employees' performance in the milking parlor, showing who may need additional training or support. But the benefits of cow CCTV analytics do not stop here. The system can also be used to monitor any potentially dangerous cases in the milking parlor. This can help improve animal welfare on the farm. In conclusion Cow CCTV analytics is a powerful tool for: Optimizing the efficiency, quality, and animal welfare of the milking process. Monitoring and analyzing the milking process to identify areas for improvement and optimize the performance of the farm. Ensuring the well-being of the cows. Overall success and sustainability of the dairy business. Let new technologies into your dairy farm - Book a free demo now!

To enhance the quality of our services, at Cattle Care we offer a free demonstration to our prospective clients showcasing the capabilities of our system. Why does Cattle Care offer a free demo? Our system's capabilities are best presented through a hands-on demonstration tailored for the exact parlor. The report provides potential clients with valuable insights into what’s going on at the dairy and helps select the right contract type for their needs. What does Cattle Care need for a demo? If the milking parlor is equipped with cameras , we require access to the video recordings from them. Typically, we use 4 hours of video footage from the milking parlor and 6 hours of video footage from the holding area. A client can specify the exact hours to be used (for example, high cows' milking time). If cameras are not installed yet , our technical specialist can visit the farm and install a portable camera. This camera is used solely for the purpose of the demo. If a client decides to work with us, we install permanent cameras in the milking parlor. Is the data protected? Before conducting the demo, we ensure that the farm videos are kept secure through an NDA and necessary procedures. The data is kept on-site at the dairy. At Cattle Care, we value data privacy. Is the demo free? Am I obligated to buy the product after the demo? The demo is 100% free of charge. After seeing the results of the demo, you may become interested in our system, but there is no obligation to buy. It is common to feel overwhelmed with the data at first, but with consistent use, you'll start seeing results within a few weeks or even days. How can I book a free demo? Fill out the form on our website and one of our managers will get in touch with you as soon as possible.

Individualized employee performance monitoring is available for the first time in your milking parlor! We provide one day of monitoring to show the capabilities of our system free of charge, please get in touch with us . How does it work?
Cattle Care uses already installed cameras. The computer vision algorithm measure quality of prep (pre-dipping, stripping, and post-dipping), breaks it down by individual, and provide performance data based on thresholds set by the dairyman.
As a result, a dairyman gets statistics on specific employees with video samples that could be used for incentivizing or training purposes. Get real numbers for your dairy! To book a free demo - contact us!

The end of the year is the time to summarize the results. Dairy farmers who get their first Cattle Care report will see it reveals several immediate opportunities for improvement. Farmers appreciate seeing how the system can provide immediate ROI, but they can become easily frustrated trying to decide where to begin making improvements based on the audit results. “I already have enough work to do every day. Why should I add more tasks to my to-do list?” These questions are easily answered by breaking down big tasks into several small tasks. By making progress step by step, one issue at a time, producers will see results that motivate them to keep improving every day. Click here to see how easy it is to create an action plan based on the results from a Cattle Care audit. These are two demos from November 2022. Both farms had a very high level of manual detaches. Farm 1 had a middle level of one towel for several cows' issues. Farm 2 - “No reattach” issue. After one year of using the Cattle Care system, we can see big progress! It’s still not perfect. And you can see the increase in the “Towel accident” level. But when workers use one towel per cow instead of one towel for 2 or more cows, they just use more towels. And more accidents happen. This is just another thing to improve.  And now, let's shift our focus to another success story from one of our clients. We have been collaborating for over two years, and over the past year, we obtained interesting results regarding the impact of our product on milk quality.  Let's delve into two more graphs. The Efficiency Chart 1 (Weight/Manual Detach) illustrates a significant reduction in the frequency of manual detachment issues of milking machines on the dairy farm. Data analysis from August 2022 shows a substantial decrease in instances of premature detachment, resulting in a significant increase in milk yield. The effectiveness of the measures taken is confirmed after implementing changes on the farm. The Efficiency Chart 2 (SCC/One Towel for Several Cows) depicts a decrease in issues related to using one towel for several cows. However, a noticeable increase in these issues in the subsequent period, accompanied by a rise in somatic cell count (SCC), suggests the need for additional improvements in cow handling practices. These graphs reflect positive efficiency changes achieved through the Cattle Care system. However, they also emphasize the need for attention and improvements in specific areas for optimal results.  Do not try to do everything at once. We live in an imperfect world - let your farm and your team have enough time to realize and accept the changes. Micro goals united by a common goal are an excellent way to improve your comfort and performance of your work.

Adequate oxytocin letdown improves overall parlor performance and is directly related to the procedures and routines utilized in a given parlor. The procedures are those steps that are required to milk one cow. An example would be apply predip, strip teats, dry teats, and finally attach and adjust units. The routine is how groups of cows are milked in the parlor. There are two main types of oxytocin letdown. Non-conditioned letdown is stimulated by manipulating teats during the udder preparation process. When stimulated by direct contact, nerves in the teats will send a message to the brain which then releases oxytocin from the pituitary gland into the bloodstream. Based on the known physiology of oxytocin letdown, non-conditioned stimulation requires 10 to 12 seconds of teat contact time, followed by full oxytocin expression in the mammary gland at approximately 90 seconds after teats are first touched. The conditioned effect of milk letdown is influenced by what the cow sees, hears, and experiences as she is brought to the parlor, as she enters the parlor and as she standing in the parlor. The more consistent the handling and movement of the cows into the parlor, the better the overall conditioned milk letdown effect. It’s important to remember that if a cow experiences anxiety as she’s moved to the parlor or while she’s in the parlor, it will negatively impact oxytocin letdown. Therefore handling cows in a calm manner and being very consistent in what she experiences during the milking process is extremely important to maximize parlor performance. There are several routines that are commonly used on dairies. These are dependent on the size of the parlor, the number of milk harvest technicians and the goals of management. Group routine - one milk harvest technicians performs all the steps on each cow in a defined group size Sequential routine - technicians follow one another in a predetermined manner each performing one or more steps of the udder preparation process Territorial routine - this can be a combination of a group or sequential routine where one person is responsible for staying in one area of the parlor. For maximum consistency, the easiest routine to teach in a parlor is a group routine. By having one technician responsible for each group, timing generally is significantly improved over sequential milking. In sequential milking the most difficult part for technicians to understand is to keep the distance between technicians consistent, to allow maximal oxytocin letdown. Some dairies operate with a group routine in combination with the territory routine. Each technician may milk two or more groups of cows in one section of the parlor and never move to another section of the parlor. Some dairies find this method works very well because they can print a parlor summary report for certain sections of the parlor if they have milk meters with data uploaded to herd a management program such as Dairy Comp 305. Consistency of all aspects of preparation and routine are extremely important to maximizing parlor performance. Inconsistent application of procedures or the routine will result in longer individual cow milking times and if repeated over time, will result in less milk production per cow. When producing standard operating procedures for parlors it’s extremely important to very clearly state all aspects of the requirements for milking technicians. Define each step as clearly as possible. For instance, how is the teat predip going to be applied? Dip cups, spraying or foam? Which teats do the technicians start with in the parlor? What you technicians do to more completely clean extremely dirty teats? If stripping is part of the routine, how many streams of milk from each teat? What teats do they start stripping? How are teats dried? In what order are they dried? Drying teats is the most important aspect of udder preparation if using conventional udder preparation procedures. Teats should be dried with one circular, aggressive motion on each teat, beginning with the teats furthest away from the technician, then proceeding to teats that are closest to the technician. As soon the last teat has been dried with a circular motion, the technician should flip the towel and go back to each teat and make an aggressive pinching action across each teat end in the same order. The goal is to have the teats clean, dry, and stimulated when the technician comes back to attach units. Attaching units is generally the last step, however it is extremely important to properly adjust the unit so all four teat cups assemblies are hanging straight down on each teat. Proper unit alignment will dramatically reduce liner slips, unit falloffs and reattachments that are required of the milk harvest technicians. Many dairies are now utilizing mechanical brushes for cleaning and stimulating teats prior to unit attachment. It’s very important to manually flush the mechanical brush after each group of cows to minimize contamination of the brushes. In addition brushes must be changed on a regular basis to ensure that they are effectively cleaning teats. Properly trimming switches on cows will minimize issues with long hair being wrapped around the brushes and rendering them ineffective. Whatever routines and procedures are used in the parlor, the more consistent these are cow to cow during every milking and from milking technician to milking technician at every milking the better the overall parlor performance will be for the diary. Consistency is the key factor! Modern video analytics systems track protocol deviations in milking parlor automatically. Don't lose any situation, know about everything in time with Cattle Care computer vision software.

Several factors, including the number of milk harvest technicians and desired milk quality interact to determine parlor efficiency. One of the most important efficiency factors is maximizing the total pounds of milk produced. The best method to evaluate this is to calculate milk production as a per stall per hour of operation number. This number can be calculated in any parlor or stall barn system whether or not meters or milk monitoring devices are installed. The information needed is the time in hours and tenths of an hour, the total amount of milk produced during the milking and the number of units. The calculation is made by dividing the total milk produced by the number of milking units and the resulting milk weight is then divided by the total time. On many dairies, total cows milked per day or per hour is commonly used as a proxy for pounds of milk output but too often is used as the only measure. When cows are not prepped properly, throughput can increase even though less milk is produced! This is not the desired goal for any herd. In simplistic terms, increasing milk per stall per hour can be achieved in three ways: Increasing production per cow Increasing the average milk flow while units are attached Decreasing the amount of time units are attached to cows. Production per cow may be influenced more by other factors such as nutrition and cow comfort. Cows milked calmly after adequate stimulation give more milk and will milk out quicker and more completely. To achieve high maximum milk weights harvested in the parlor or barn on a daily basis requires excellent pre milking udder preparation procedures that ensure high quality milk and excellent mastitis control. Consistency of the udder preparation procedures and routine are the most important factors for maximizing both parlor throughput and milk production.
Management's goal should be to bring cows to the milking parlor as clean as possible at every milking and in as calm a manner as possible. Cows handled in a calm manner move slower with less manure splash on the back of their front legs, lower body, and most importantly on the teats and udder floor than do cows that are pushed aggressively to the parlor. Calm cows will more willingly enter the parlor and will have better primary oxytocin letdown during udder preparation. A primary goal for any dairy is to have good stockmanship and cow handling. Animals thrive when handled in a quiet, calm manner in an environment where they feel safe. Maximum flow rates and fast, complete milking are achieved when cows are consistently prepped and units are attached to plump, full teats. Adequate oxytocin requires at least 10 to 12 seconds of teat contact time during stripping, washing or drying teats. Units should be attached as close as possible to 90 seconds after the teats are first touched during the preparation procedure. On many farms, when milk harvest technicians “slow down” and follow the SOP (standard operating procedure) then the overall milking will speed up and the technician’s job becomes easier because there are fewer liner squawks and fall off requiring milkers to go back to adjust or re-hang units. Consistency in udder preparation is a critical factor on many dairies. Variation between milkings and milkers are significant issues. SOP’s are required and all milk harvest technicians must appreciate that how they perform the procedures and the routines during milking will impact both the overall udder health and profitability of the farm. Technicians have control over how clean teats are when units are attached. The level of mastitis is directly related to the number of bacteria present on teats and teat ends when the units are attached.
Guidelines for milk per stall per hour are as follows: 2X Parlor herds > 170 pounds/stall/hr (68 kg) 3X Parlor herds > 150 pounds /stall/hr (50 kg) Remember the most important number is where the herd is now and what happens when changes are made to the milking procedures, milking routine, or milking equipment settings. The higher the better! Modern video analytics systems track parlor efficiency automatically. Don't lose any situation, know about everything in time with Cattle Care computer vision software.

Goals for parlor efficiency can be described as follows. Have cows enter the parlor and occupy the stalls calmly, yet quickly. For side by side parlors the goal is approximately 1 second per stall to move from the entrance of the parlor to the front stall. Have a milk harvest technician begin an excellent udder preparation routine as soon as possible after the first cow turns into the front stall. By following this recommendation, cows will have adequate stimulation of the udder for excellent oxytocin letdown and the teats will be clean, dry and stimulated when the units are attached. Have the unit be applied to the cow as close as possible to 90 seconds after the start of udder preparation. Units should be attached to the cow with minimal or no air leakage, which minimizes excitement to the cow. Immediately after attachment, units should be properly adjusted. The cow should milk out quickly and completely. The unit removed immediately upon cessation of milk flow. Have the cow exit calmly within a minute of unit removal. Have the next cow occupy the same stall calmly yet quickly to begin the process again. Another key factor in parlor efficiency is to minimize the time between unit removal from one cow to attachment of the same unit to the next cow. This can occur for a variety of reasons, including: Delays in cow entrance into the parlor from the holding area Delays entering the parlor and occupying the parlor stall Delays between the time when the cow occupies the parlor stall and unit attachment Delays when exiting the parlor Delays due to an empty holding pen between groups of cows Delays from attachment of the first unit on a side to the last unit on the same side Delays due to long unit on time for one cow holding up the rest of the side Delays due to equipment factors decreasing milk flow rate (i.e. low vacuum) Delays due to inadequate stimulation decreasing milk flow rate during udder preparation process One common recommendation made to producers is to make the take off settings “less aggressive.” Less aggressive means to remove units sooner. Aggressive milking is when liners are opening and closing on teats with very low milk flow. While less aggressive takeoff settings are always in the best interest of the cows and their teat ends, changing settings will only result in improved parlor performance if when milkers finish attaching on one side the other side of the parlor still has units milking. Parlor performance can only be evaluated by being in the parlor during milking to review the procedures used to prep one cow and the routine employed to milk groups of cows. Although it is important to review records on automated facilities, this is never the best method to evaluate parlor performance. Careful observations of cow behavior not only as they enter the parlor, but also as they are touched and handled during udder preparation, as units are attached and throughout milking are necessary to fully understand parlor issues. Always walk the entire dairy facility to allow observations to be made of the manure management, cow comfort, and cow handling procedures. Failure to evaluate the entire dairy will often lead to faulty recommendations being made to the producer regarding parlor performance. Modern video analytics systems track parlor efficiency automatically. Don't lose any situation, know about everything in time with Cattle Care computer vision software.