New to Agora?
New user - Frequently Asked Questions
Installation & Equipment
How long does installation take?
1–2 hours. There is no disruption to milking or cooling.
Does the vat need to be empty?
No. A wireless sensor clips to the vat cap, so your routine carries on as normal.
What gets installed?
Wireless sensors for milk inlet temperature, vat temperature, agitator status, chiller status and milk volume, plus a small gateway near a power point.
Will it interfere with other equipment?
No. The system does not use Bluetooth and has no compatibility issues with other farm devices.
Connectivity & Power
What about poor signal on my farm?
We assess connectivity during pre-inspection and install signal boosters where needed.
Do I need to supply internet or a SIM?
No. The system is fully self-contained. You don't need internet, a SIM or any extra hardware.
What if the power goes out?
Data is stored locally and uploads automatically when power or signal returns. Agora's team is also alerted to any outages.
How much power does the digital gateway use?
Very little. The small digital gateway uses less electricity than a TV on standby.
How often is data updated?
Every 10 minutes under normal conditions.
Agitator Alerts
If you've received an agitator alert from your Vat Telemetry system, here's what triggered it, when your agitator should actually turn on, and how it connects to NZCP1 milk-cooling requirements.
Why did I get an Agitator alert?
Your agitator didn't turn on within 40 minutes of milking starting. This isn't an NZCP1 compliance rule, it's a best-practice guideline to help protect your milk quality.
When should the agitator turn on?
As soon as there's enough milk in the vat to fully cover the agitator blade. For most vats, that's roughly 20–30 minutes after milk first starts flowing in, but always check the minimum safe volume for your specific vat.
Is the 40-minute agitator alert an NZCP1 requirement?
No. NZCP1 doesn't set a fixed time for starting the agitator. The 40-minute alert is a best-practice guideline built into Vat Telemetry to help protect milk quality.
What happens if my agitator starts late?
Milk sitting against the vat's cooling surface without agitation risks freezing and uneven cooling, which can affect milk quality and make it harder to meet NZCP1 cooling timeframes.
How do I know the right start time for my vat?
Check the minimum safe milk volume specified for your vat — the agitator should start once the blade or impeller is fully covered, not at a fixed time.
Why Does My Agora Volume Differ From the Tanker Docket?
If you've noticed your Agora vat volume running a little higher or lower than the tanker docket figure, that's normal - and usually a sign your system is working exactly as intended. Here's why a small variance happens, and what level of difference is expected.
Why is my Agora volume sometimes lower than the tanker docket?
This is usually because the radar takes readings every 10 minutes rather than continuously, so if collection starts soon after the last milking, the true peak volume may not be captured before the vat starts emptying.
Is a 100-litre difference a problem?
Not necessarily. On a large vat, a 100-litre variance can still represent well over 99% accuracy. Agora's target is within 50 litres, but some variance is expected and normal.
Does the Agora volume replace the tanker docket for payment purposes?
No. The tanker docket, measured by a calibrated flowmeter, remains the official volume figure. Agora's volume is a real-time guide for on-farm decisions, not an official measurement.
Will accuracy improve over time?
Yes. Calibration typically stabilises after around five collections and continues to improve throughout the season as more data is collected at different vat levels.
Agora is part of Terravest
Deosan dairy hygiene, made and proven in NZScience-backed formulations designed for New Zealand conditions, from teat care, to shed hygiene to herd nutrition.
Terravest safeguards the seasonConnecting udder health, plant and vat cleaning, refrigeration, and real-time moitoring into one seamless layer of protection from one teat to tanker.
DTS don't just protect production - we raise the standard.We challenge outdated refrigeration norms with sustainable, high-performance solutions and the kind of 24/7 on-call service the industry deserves.
