What happens when smart data tools, deep agricultural knowledge, and true customer partnership collide? For the team at Intelligent Dairy Solutions (IDS), the answer is Dairy Data Partners (DDP) – a game-changing service built not in a lab, but in the barns, trucks, and everyday realities of large-scale dairies.
Built by Listening
DDP didn’t start with a product. It started with a truck ride.
“The first time Stuart, Andrew and I got in the truck with one particular client, he showed us every corner of his dairy that needed a solution,” said Katharine Lotspeich, part of the IDS US team. “We took that back to our R&D team, and we started building.”
The IDS Pre-Brush robot showcased at World Ag Expo in early 2025 sparked big conversations about labor-saving solutions. But what kept people talking was something deeper: a hunger for smarter, human-supported ways to use all the data their farms were generating.
Too Much Data, Not Enough Time
“Every single farmer we spoke to said the same thing: ‘I have more data than I’ve ever had, and I don’t know how to make it relevant and useful for actual operational management.'”
Disconnected systems, endless spreadsheets, and no time to dig through dashboards were the norm. What farmers wanted wasn’t another app – it was actionable insight, delivered by someone they trust.
“They don’t want another dashboard. They want a person. They want their data standardized, decoded and delivered right to their phone.”
More Than a Platform – It’s a Partnership
Enter Dairy Data Partners (DDP). The program offers fully customized reports built on
IDS Tracker, which standardizes a farm’s data to bring that data to life by connecting feed systems, parlor data, herd management, and more.
But the secret sauce? The people behind it.
“We all come from ag backgrounds. So, when we sit down with dairymen, it’s not just software – it’s a relationship.”
Current DDP clients are deeply engaged, offering weekly feedback and helping shape how DDP evolves. From feed refusal patterns linked to desert weather, to pinpointing mineral overfeeding costing thousands, DDP is delivering real-world results.
Chaleesa Brocious, an an ag educator who joined the DDP team for the summer, summed it up well:
“We want them to have a real dairy data partner in their corner… not talking to an AI or a robot.”
She added, “I’ve helped our team build reports that are customizable for each dairy – to be successful and see data in a way that means something to their operation.”
And producers are choosing to work with IDS for exactly that reason. As Katharine explains:
“It’s listening. Listening to them, going back to the drawing board, saying, ‘Here’s what we can do about that,’ taking it back to them and delivering.”
“The fact that we come from where they come from gives them a lot of encouragement and comfort that we are on the same page as them as we try to deliver what they’re asking for.”
Dollars, Decisions, and Behavior Change
“At the end of the day, farmers want to know: what is this costing me?”
DDP doesn’t just crunch numbers. It helps farms identify behavior patterns, communicate with their teams, and make decisions that move the needle. Whether it’s showing a milker how their role affects herd health or texting a feeder real-time ingredient loading variability, the platform is about empowerment.
“DDP makes it real. It makes it relevant. And it fosters an even stronger farm management team.”
Meeting a Growing Market Demand
The rise of DDP also reflects a growing market need, as the structure of the dairy industry shifts:
“The number of dairy farms is falling every year, but total US cow population is staying the same. That means larger dairies are getting larger, with increasingly complex data management needs,” said Katharine.
With farms managing thousands of cows across multiple sites, data is no longer optional – it’s a management pillar. But most operations don’t have the time or manpower to manage it. That’s where DDP steps in, acting as a dedicated data partner.
“Every farmer wants a different kind of insight, whether it’s feed efficiency, reproduction, or body condition. We take all their software systems, unify them, and return the insights they actually want and ask for.”
Connecting DDP with the Future of Ag Careers
Beyond helping dairies run better, IDS is becoming a launchpad for the next generation of ag professionals.
This summer, Chaleesa has agreed a partnership with her local school district in Utah to launch a Pathways internship program. High school students will gain remote access to ag tech work, building skills in data interpretation, teamwork, and critical thinking – long before entering college.
“We’ve never done anything like this before… But actually, showing kids real-world ag tech, and getting them hands-on – that’s powerful.”
She plans to bring real DDP case studies into the classroom, where students will tackle actual dairy challenges:
“How does body condition score relate to weather? What do refusals tell us? Then ask them to use AI and mock reports to find answers and make recommendations – like a game.”
Through this experience, students also learn how to assess data quality, cross-check sources, and practice ownership of their insights:
“If you generate a report with AI, can you stand behind it? Would you put your name on it? That kind of accountability is essential in the real world.”
What’s Next? Sky’s the Limit
The DDP journey started just months ago. Since then, it’s evolved weekly based on real client feedback. And it’s only just beginning.
“This isn’t just another software tool. This is a relationship. And we’re proving that when you pair tech with trust, there’s no limit to the impact.”
As one dairyman put it: “If you can deliver on this, I don’t know exactly what we’ll unlock – but I know it’ll go beyond anything we’ve imagined.”