Quorum Sensing Technology making a difference on Ohio farm

Greg Brightbill runs his family farm in Ohio with his dad Robert, his brother Mark, his son Hayden, and his two nephews Matthew and Caleb. They are focused on doing their best to care for their animals and produce high-quality milk. When introduced to AHV’s products and their potential to help him manage his herd’s somatic cell count (SCC), Greg worked with Farm Advisor Mike Allerding to develop a pilot program to evaluate the product’s impact on his farm.

After trialing the products on 3 different groups of cows, Greg got the results back and was impressed. He said “I was definitely a believer after that. I’m totally sold on the boluses. They’re great for my herd and will be good for the dairy industry going forward.”

Innovation

“Initially when Mike approached me with AHV’s products and explained that they had the ability to help lower my herd’s somatic cell count (SCC) I was skeptical. Mike told me about quorum sensing, how the bolus helps block communication of bacteria and when they can no longer communicate, biofilm breaks down and udder health improves. I thought it was a good idea to try the product and see how it worked. We have been trying to reduce our antibiotic use on-farm for a long time, so it made sense for us. These products are innovative, and it’s having options like these that will help the dairy industry stay ahead of government regulations.”

Animal Health

“The bolus is quick to administer; it takes about 30 seconds. We locked the cows in the headlocks, gave each one the bolus, and moved on. I had more peace of mind this way than administering product through the udder and worrying if bacteria was getting into the teat. I got the test results back and sent them to Mike right away. I couldn’t believe how much it dropped the cell count. It’s pretty much a win-win situation on our farm. When I look at the data on our herd and the success we’ve had, I would highly recommend these products. Try it on a few cows, you have nothing to lose.”

For the Future

“One of our farms biggest goals is to produce quality milk. AHV is helping us accelerate this process by giving us a non-antibiotic solution to assist us in managing our SCC. We don’t have to worry about antibiotics, and the no meat or milk withhold gives us more flexibility. We can stay ahead of government regulations and still care for our animals well. I think quorum sensing technology will be a gamechanger for our industry, it’s the future for how we’re going to care for dairy animals.”