For Lash Legacy Dairy, the Tech Was Important, But the Support Was Everything

Before committing to something new, Whitby recommends asking one question: Who shows up when something goes wrong?

For Kaleb Whitby, at Lash Legacy Dairy in Mabton, Washington, managing 4500 cows requires more than just hard work – it demands a trusted network. A relative newcomer to the industry, it didn’t take Whitby long to learn that success isn’t achieved on an island. When he decided to invest in advanced technology, he wasn’t shopping for hardware and data; he was seeking a dedicated partnership.

Service Sealed The Deal 

Whitby ultimately chose AfiCollar from Afimilk Partially because the company is focused solely on dairy technology but primarily because of their reputation for excellent support after the initial installation. “When I have a reader that goes down or when we have collar issues, who’s going to be there? From my standpoint, that 100% why we went with Afimilk ” Whitby shared. “If we didn’t have that trust in our support network, we wouldn’t have pulled the trigger.”

Always-On Insights Delivered Fast ROI

Whitby sees AfiCollar

as an added employee that works 24\7, rain or shine. They transitioned from manual tail chalking and visual heat detection to collars that automatically capture accurate individual cow data. The shift allowed them to eliminate headlocks while increasing their heat detection rate. “Getting cows pregnant faster allows them to stay at peak milk longer,” effectively lowering costs and speeding the ROI on the collars. Whitby projected a complete ROI within two years.

The system even alerts the team to drops in rumination during Washington’s grueling 105-degree heat waves, enabling them to proactively adjust soaker times and feeding schedules before an animal suffers.

Technology Backed By People 

By combining next generation technology with dairy expertise, Afimilk has helped Lach Legacy multiply their management efforts without multiplying their labor. “It’s been the added help and support for making decisions that really good dairymen try to make every day.”