Märja Cattle Breeding Experimental Farm (Eerika Farm OÜ)

Eerika Farm OÜ, the Märja Cattle Breeding Experimental Farm of the Estonian University of Life Sciences, relocated to its current premises at Aretuse 6, Märja, in 2008. Prior to this, the farm operated in Eerika, in the village of Õssu. In 2024, the farm building underwent renovation, and all equipment was replaced with modern, state-of-the-art systems.

The farm is home to approximately 120–130 dairy cows, along with a similar number of young stock. The number of animals fluctuates regularly due to the birth of calves and the retirement of older animals. The facility has a maximum capacity of 250 animals.

Serving as a practical training base, the farm supports students of veterinary medicine and animal husbandry. Each year, around 300 students participate in hands-on learning across 32 different subjects. Students from other disciplines at the Estonian University of Life Sciences also visit the farm. Additionally, school and nursery groups are welcome by prior arrangement.

The farm is equipped with both an eight-stall parallel milking parlour and a robotic milking system.

Each animal is fitted with an electronic ear tag, functioning as an ID card. These tags grant access to the milking robot and parlour, while calves use them to receive feed from automated dispensers. Milking data—including time, yield, and any anomalies—is recorded digitally.

In addition to the ear tag, animals wear a specialised sensor that tracks their movements within the farm. This sensor provides detailed information on where and when the animal moved, stood, ate, and ruminated. Analysing this data offers valuable insights into the animal’s current condition and overall health.

The milking robot is also equipped with a device that measures progesterone levels (commonly referred to as the pregnancy hormone) in the milk. Based on these readings, the system determines when a cow is in oestrus (ready for insemination), identifies the optimal time for insemination, and confirms pregnancy status. Without this technology, such assessments would require meticulous manual examination. The device significantly reduces labour time and enhances efficiency.

While electronic monitoring and milk progesterone testing are common in many farms, the combination of both systems is currently unique to the Märja Farm of the Estonian University of Life Sciences.