19:24 17 March 2017
An Internet of Things device mounted on cows’ tails has prevented the death of more than 150,000 cows by allowing farmers to call a vet for help when needed.
The calving sensor has been developed by Moocall and is linked to Vadafone’s M2M Internet of Things network. Its goal is to help farmers determine if there are any complications and to call a vet for help when needed.
Around 150,000 calves were born under the monitoring of Moocall’s tail-mounted IoT sensor, which detects in which the cow’s tail moves. Cows’ tails tend to move up and down when they are having pre-birth contractions. A large increase in tail activity can signify that the cow is calving putting the farmers in the position to decide the next step to properly help the cow.
John Larkin, technology and marketing manager of Moocall, said in a canned statement: “It also allows farmers to get some much needed rest, safe in the knowledge they will receive an alert at crucial calving moments rather than having to be on permanent watch.”