Brave “moo” world as farmers embrace internet of cows

Jointly developed by animal health monitoring specialist Well Cow Ltd and communications expert Ziconix - the technology consists of a so-called “bolus” sensor that monitors the PH and temperature levels within a cow’s rumen, the first compartment of its stomach.

According to Ziconix technical director Steve Sims, by implanting the device in selected cows farmers can gain a valuable overall picture of the herd’s health. This can help them identify digestive problems at an early stage and act quickly to resolve them before they impact the efficiency of milk production.

The technology could also help farmers make dietary adjustments that could reduce the herd’s production of methane, which is a potent greenhouse gas.

Jim Watson, director of Innovation and Enterprise Services at Scottish Enterprise, which provided £96,000 funding for the trial, said that more accurate data collection could yield an estimated £18 billion of productivity benefits.

During the latest trials, which were carried out at Edinburgh University’s Langhill Farm, three randomly selected animals were instrumented with the sensor and observed over a period of a couple of days. In a typical application, around a fifth of the herd would be instrumented with the sensors.