BASF – Impact of insulation on milk yield

Introduction  

A leading global chemical company specializing in agricultural solutions sought to assess the effectiveness of their insulated sheds in enhancing dairy cattle welfare and milk productivity. The client aimed to establish a clear, data-driven understanding of how insulation impacted milk yield and quality. To achieve this, they partnered with Systech to leverage advanced data analytics and predictive modelling, enabling them to validate the benefits of their insulated product offerings.   

Business Need   

The client needed to quantify the effects of insulated sheds on dairy production to strengthen their product positioning. Specific goals included:  

• Assessing the role of temperature regulation in boosting milk yield and quality.   

• Analysing cow health indicators, such as Body Condition Scores (BCS), and environmental factors like humidity.   

• Providing concrete, evidence-based insights to communicate the value of their solutions to stakeholders.   

• By addressing these needs, the client sought to enhance customer trust and drive informed decision-making in product development and marketing.   

Systech’s Delivery   

Systech delivered an end-to-end solution that combined data engineering, advanced statistical analysis, and machine learning techniques. Key components included:   

 Data Integration and Cleansing: Using Microsoft Fabric and SQL to process and prepare data for analysis.   

Advanced Analysis: Employing Python to uncover correlations between insulation, milk production, and environmental conditions.   

Predictive Modelling: Developing machine learning models to forecast the impact of temperature regulation on dairy outcomes.   

Interactive Visualization: Building Power BI dashboards to present insights in an intuitive and actionable format.   

Overview   

The project focused on demonstrating the value of the client’s insulated sheds in enhancing dairy productivity. Systech collected data across farms, conducted advanced analysis, and presented findings through intuitive dashboards. The initiative provided the client with clear, actionable insights into the impact of their solutions on milk yield and quality, enabling them to communicate these benefits effectively to customers.   

Challenges   

The client faced several challenges, including:   

Isolating Insulation Impact: Distinguishing the effects of insulation from other environmental and health factors.   

Ensuring Data Consistency: Collecting and integrating reliable data from multiple sources.   

Proving Value Proposition: Demonstrating the direct benefits of insulation on milk yield and quality with statistically valid evidence.   

Systech addressed these challenges using advanced statistical methods and machine learning models to control confounding variables and deliver precise insights.   

The Detailed Solution Process   

Data Collection & Integration   

Data was collected from farms utilizing the client’s insulated sheds, including metrics like:   

Milk yield   

• Environmental factors (temperature, humidity)   

• Cow health (BCS)   

• SQL was used to clean and integrate this raw data for analysis.   

Statistical & Correlation Analysis   

Python libraries (Pandas, NumPy) were used to analyze relationships between variables, uncovering correlations between temperature regulation, milk yield, and quality.   

Predictive Modeling   

Machine learning models, such as decision trees, were developed to predict milk production based on environmental factors, providing valuable insights into how insulation influenced outcomes.   

Data Visualization & Reporting   

Power BI dashboards were created, featuring interactive charts and filters to visualize data trends. Key metrics like milk yield, fat content, and protein levels were highlighted, offering stakeholders a clear view of the findings.  The final insights were summarized to clearly communicate the positive impact of insulated sheds on dairy outcomes. 

The Impact   

The project demonstrated the measurable benefits of the client’s insulated sheds:   

• Increased Milk Yield: Insulated sheds improved milk production by 15% through better temperature regulation.   

• Enhanced Milk Quality: Milk from insulated sheds showed a 10% improvement in protein and fat content.   

• Informed Decision-Making: Data-driven insights enabled the client to validate their product’s value proposition and strengthen customer trust.   

These outcomes positioned the client as a leader in data-backed agricultural solutions, laying the foundation for future innovations. This paved the way for other avenues of farming business like poultry farming. 

Want to unlock the power of data analytics to validate and enhance your product offerings? Partner with Systech to transform raw data into actionable insights and drive measurable success. Contact us today to learn more.  

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