Herd monitoring systems, which analyse the activity and rumination levels of lactating cattle to improve heat detection and provide early alerts of potential health problems, are commonplace on dairy units, but have historically been used on a less widespread scale in the beef sector.

For those beef producers that have adopted the technology, their herds have benefitted in several ways, not least of which has been the ability to improve fertility scores by ensuring cows and heifers are served or inseminated at the optimum timing.

SenseHub from MSD Animal Intelligence uses neck collars and/or ear tags to measure the subtle behavioural patterns associated with fertility, and enables herd managers to ensure individual animals are inseminated at the optimum time by detecting more than 95% of heats.

The data captured by Sensehub’s proprietary tags and collars is analysed by the SenseHub app and converted into easily understandable graphs and job lists which make it easier, less stressful and less time consuming to manage each individual animal or group of cattle. The same data can also be used to provide an early indication of potential health problems – often before they have developed into visibly apparent clinical symptoms – so that sick animals can be treated as early as possible.

By monitoring beef cattle at all stages of their reproductive cycle, SenseHub pays for itself by taking the guesswork and inconsistency out of managing the herd’s breeding stock and empowers beef farmers to optimise conception rates, save time and money on fertility protocols, and enjoy the peace of mind of knowing that the herd is constantly been watched over, 24 hours a day.

South West Farmer:

The SenseHub monitoring system uses neck collars or ear tags to spot more than 95% of heats.

SenseHub is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease in animals.  For the diagnosis, treatment, cure, or prevention of disease in animals, you should consult your veterinarian.  The accuracy of the data collected and presented through this product is not intended to match that of medical devices or scientific measurement devices.