AI-powered technology developed in New Zealand is set to help US dairy farmers address a billion-dollar challenge.
With lameness costing the US dairy industry up to NZ$1.2 billion annually, Herd-i’s innovative system detects lameness early, improving productivity and boosting animal welfare for the country’s 9.4 million dairy cows.
Herd-i’s entry into the US market, planned for late 2025, marks an exciting step forward for the agri-tech company. This expansion builds on Herd-i’s early-stage foundation in New Zealand, supported by two directors with significant experience scaling businesses in the US market.
“The challenges faced by New Zealand dairy farmers in managing the health, productivity, and welfare of their herds are very similar to those in the US when it comes to lameness,” says Herd-i Director Karl Jameson.
“That said, lameness is a much bigger issue in the US, with around 30% of cows affected annually compared to between 6 – 12% in New Zealand. This is largely due to factors like cows being housed in barns with concrete floors and the prevalence of larger breeds like Holsteins, which are more prone to gait issues because of their size and structure.”
Herd-i first launched its lameness detection technology in New Zealand in June 2024. The company is also trialling its automated Body Condition Scoring (BCS) system with existing New Zealand customers, aiming for an official launch in February 2025.
Making a difference on NZ Farms
The Herd-i system uses an EID reader to identify each cow as she exits the milking shed. A small camera then tracks her movement, sending the footage to a cloud-based server where machine learning analyses her gait and assigns a lameness score based on DairyNZ’s industry-standard scale. Results are displayed on an easy-to-use dashboard, allowing farmers to set alerts, track trends, and respond quickly to potential issues.
Karl says Herd-i is already making a difference on New Zealand farms, helping dairy farmers spot lameness earlier and act faster.
“Our customers tell us that it’s not just about early detection – it’s about simpler, less invasive treatments, better recovery tracking, and even improving team accountability. Herd-i is catching issues in cows they might otherwise miss. That kind of impact gives us real confidence as we get ready to launch into the US.”
Addressing US-specific challenges
Herd-i’s technology will be adapted for the US dairy industry’s Locomotion Scoring scale to cater to local conditions, including larger breeds and barn housing environments.
Karl says Herd-i can easily adapt its AI-powered technology to meet the unique challenges of the US market. “The causes of lameness and the diseases contributing to it differ between countries. However, our technology makes it relatively simple to retrain the machine learning models to detect variations in gait for different cow breeds. This adaptability ensures Herd-i remains highly effective, no matter where it’s used.”
Lameness leads to significant costs for farmers due to reduced milk production, fertility issues, higher culling rates, and treatment expenses, which highlights the urgent need for proactive, cost-effective solutions.
“Ultimately, every dairy farmer wants a healthy herd with maximum milk production, the highest reproductive performance, and the ability to easily identify cows that aren’t at their best,” Karl says. “At the same time, consumers and regulatory bodies globally are calling for better management of dairy cow health and welfare. Herd-i is perfectly positioned to meet these needs.”
Committed to NZ dairy farmers
While Herd-i prepares for its US expansion, the company continues to support New Zealand dairy farmers by growing its local team, enhancing on-the-ground support, and focusing on exceptional customer service.
“Our New Zealand-based team has grown, bringing hands-on farming expertise, agritech sales experience, and a real passion for helping Kiwi farmers get the most out of their investment in technology to make their lives easier and their farm’s more profitable.”
So, what excites Karl most about introducing Herd-i to the US?
“New Zealand dairy farmers are the best in the world at what they do, and we’re the world’s largest dairy exporter. I’m thrilled to take this incredible technology to the world’s second-largest dairy producer, the USA.
“New Zealand’s reputation for animal welfare standards and sustainable milk production is highly respected in the US, and we believe Herd-i will be very well received there.”
Supporting future innovation
Herd-i is planning a capital raising initiative to support further technology development and its US launch. Its automated Body Condition Scoring (BCS) system, already being trialled in New Zealand, will complement the lameness detection technology when it officially launches in February 2025.
“Herd-i has spent over five years refining its AI-powered solutions, analysing more than 15 million video images of dairy cows,” Karl says. “This investment has allowed us to create world-leading technology that supports the future of the global dairy industry while meeting the needs of farmers in both New Zealand and the US.”