Naperville, IL – April 9, 2012 –  Electronically monitoring cows for heat detection can reduce labor, increase pregnancy rates, decrease days open and limit the need for hormone treatments.  Now, with the new CowScout™S system, from GEA Farm Technologies, dairy producers can benefit from electronic activity monitors and receive more accurate breeding information, no matter where they are, via internet, smart phone or text messaging. 

“CowScout™S allows today’s dairies to simply use an internet connection to access heat detection data for their herd,” said Steve Pretz, GEA Farm Technologies U.S. National Sales Manager for Milking and Cooling products.  “Data is shared utilizing cloud technology – making it accessible anytime, anywhere, and it is transmitted continuously, so dairy producers always have the latest information and they can make timely breeding decisions.”

The CowScout™S activity monitoring system brings convenience and efficiency to heat detection.  When a cow or heifer is in heat, activity levels increase, and the CowScout™S system sends an activity alert message to a computer, a mobile device, or both – depending on pre-set preferences – alerting herd managers precisely when a cow reaches peak heat. 

“CowScout™S offers dairy producers a simple, accurate, and flexible heat detection program that fits any management style – and works with any brand of milking equipment or parlor configuration.  It is also an excellent choice for heifer raising operations.  Installation components are minimal and there is no complex software,” adds Pretz. “No other system on the market compares.”

The CowScout™S activity monitoring system is fully-supported and installed by GEA Farm Technologies dealers, carrying the WestfaliaSurge product line; a professional network with unsurpassed dairy equipment experience – available to local dairy operations 24/7.

GEA Farm Technologies, a segment of the GEA Group, is headquartered in Bönen, Germany and has subsidiaries in over 60 countries, employing more than 2,100 people worldwide.  As a global leader in milking, manure, and livestock housing equipment technology, the company is dedicated to saving producers time, labor and money through increased efficiency, management assistance information and leading-edge product innovation. GEA Farm Technologies provides a complete line of WestfaliaSurge, Houle, and Norbco products to meet producers’ needs of all sizes and management styles. 

GEA Group Aktiengesellschaft is one of the largest system providers for food and energy processes with about EUR 5.4 billion in 2011 revenue. As an internationally operating technology group, the company focuses on process technology and components for demanding production processes in various end markets. The group gains about 70 percent of its revenue in the long-term growing food and energy industries. The company's workforce comprised over 23,000 employees worldwide as of December 31, 2011. GEA Group is a market and technology leader in its business areas. The company is listed in the MDAX index (G1A, WKN 660200).

Editor’s Note: Electronic images are available for download at: http://bit.ly/cowscout

For further information, contact:
Linda Mrugacz
Director – Marketing & Communications
(630) 548-8253
linda.mrugacz@geagroup.com