A Visit to a Modern Dairy Farm
I recently visited a dairy farm producing around 500 liters of milk per day, and I was truly impressed by the investment the farmer had made. From modern milking machines to proper cow bedding (yes, the cows even had mattresses to lay on!)—it was clear this was a farm built with care and vision.
As always, I had my gumboots ready—something my wife ensures I never forget when heading out to a farm. The farmer was kind enough to take me on a tour, proudly showing cows producing up to 40 liters per day. The purpose of my visit was to discuss a solution for automating record keeping by capturing milk weights directly from the scale and linking them to each cow’s profile.
Why Weighing Accuracy Matters in Dairy
During the visit, I learned something fascinating: the more times you milk a cow in a day, the more milk it produces. This farmer was milking three times daily and seeing excellent results.
But what caught my attention most was the scale they were using. From a distance, it was clear the equipment was not in the best condition. I asked the farmer whether they had another scale in use, and the answer was no. To confirm my suspicions, I reached for my 10 kg test weight—knowing that the scale had likely not been serviced or calibrated since it was purchased.
The Hidden Cost of Inaccurate Scales
The results told the story. For every 10 kg weighed, the scale was losing about 90 grams. Now imagine this: on a farm weighing 500 kg per day, that translates to 4.5 kg lost daily.
In milk terms, that’s roughly 5 liters gone each day, which adds up to 60,000–70,000 shillings worth of losses in a year.
For a manufacturer, even a 1-gram error in weighing ingredients could mean significant financial losses over time. For a farmer, it’s no different—small inaccuracies compound into huge losses.
Why Calibration and Servicing Are Non-Negotiable
The lesson here is simple:
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Invest in a good-quality scale suited to your specific operations.
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Service and calibrate your scale regularly to maintain accuracy.
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Track performance and detect errors early to avoid long-term financial leaks.
Protect Your Profits with Accurate Weighing
Inaccurate scales don’t just affect your numbers—they directly eat into your profits. Regular servicing is not an expense; it’s a form of protection against unaccountable losses.
The next time you’re tempted to postpone servicing your scale, remember: accuracy pays.
