How technology is making monitoring animal health easier

The management of animal health is crucial to the profitability and sustainability of a herd or flock. Technology makes recording, analysing and predicting illness, behaviour and body condition easier.

The list below highlights the advancements made in this kind of technology. It is by no means complete, and there are many apps that provide the same functionality as these ones:

Herdwatch
Herdwatch is a mobile app for farmers to manage their herd or flock’s health and productivity. It is available on iOS and Android devices and is designed to be easy to use, even for farmers who may not be particularly tech-savvy.

The app has the following functions:

• Record-keeping: With Herdwatch, farmers can keep detailed records of the animals’ movements, as well as births, deaths, sales and purchases. Farmers can also record details about each individual animal, including its breed, age and health status.
• Medication tracking: Herdwatch enables farmers to record the medication and treatments given to their animals, including the dosage, date and reason for treatment. This helps them keep track of which animals have been treated and when they need to be treated again.
• Breeding management: Farmers can use the app to record breeding data, including which animals have been bred, when they were bred, and which bull or ram was used for breeding. This enables farmers to track breeding history and plan future breeding programmes.
• Reporting and analysis: Herdwatch provides farmers with a range of reports and analysis tools to help them manage the animals’ health and productivity. For example, farmers can generate reports on calf or lamb mortality rates, breeding success rates, and medication usage.
• Integration with other systems: The app integrates with a range of other farm management systems, such as milk recording systems and electronic identification systems. This allows farmers to access all of their herd management data in one place.

VetIMPRESS
VetIMPRESS, which is available on iOS and Android devices, is designed to be user-friendly and accessible to farmers who may not have extensive veterinary knowledge.

The app includes the following:

• Medication calculators: A range of calculators helps farmers to determine the correct dosage of medication for their animals based on factors such as weight and age. This helps to ensure that animals receive the correct amount of medication and minimises the risk of under- or overdosing.
• Diagnostic charts: The app provides farmers with a range of diagnostic charts to help them identify common animal health issues and diseases. The charts include information on symptoms, treatment options, and preventative measures.
• Treatment protocols: VetIMPRESS includes a range of treatment protocols for common animal health issues and diseases. The protocols provide step-by-step guidance on how to treat the condition, including which medications to use and how to administer them.
• Reference library: The app includes a comprehensive reference library of veterinary resources, including articles, videos, and other educational materials.
• Customisable protocols: The app allows farmers to create custom treatment protocols for specific animal health issues or diseases. This feature is particularly useful for farmers who may be dealing with uncommon or specialised health issues in their herd or flock.
• Integration with other systems: VetIMPRESS integrates with a range of other farm management systems, such as electronic identification systems and herd management software. Farmers can access all of their animal health data in one place and streamline their management processes.

Afimilk
Afimilk works by integrating with sensors and data analysis tools to provide dairy farmers with detailed insights into their herd’s health and productivity. The app includes the following:

Sensors: Afimilk uses a range of sensors to monitor various aspects of a dairy farm, including milk production, cow behaviour, and environmental conditions. The sensors are placed throughout the farm and provide real-time data on various aspects of the herd’s health and productivity.

Data analysis: The app uses data analysis tools to process the information from the sensors and generate insights into herd health and productivity. These insights include information on milk production, cow behaviour, and health issues such as mastitis.

Alerts and notifications: Afimilk provides farmers with alerts and notifications when potential issues arise, such as a cow showing signs of illness or a drop in milk production. The alerts allow farmers to take action quickly and minimise the impact of health or productivity issues.

Dashboard and reporting: The app provides farmers with a dashboard and reporting tools to help them track key performance indicators such as milk production and cow health. Farmers can use these tools to identify trends and patterns in their herd’s performance and make informed decisions about management practices.

Integration with other systems: Afimilk integrates with other farm management systems, such as herd management software and milking equipment. This enables farmers to access all their farm data in one place.

SmartShepherd
SmartShepherd is a mobile app designed to allow sheep farmers to monitor and analyse
the behaviour of individual sheep in real time. The app works in conjunction with SmartShepherd ear tags, which are placed on each sheep and contain sensors that track sheep movements and behaviour.

SmartShepherd includes the following features:
Ear tags: Each sheep is fitted with a SmartShepherd ear tag, which contains a range of sensors that monitor the sheep’s behaviour and movements. The tag is lightweight, allowing for easy and non-invasive monitoring.

Real-time monitoring: Each ear tag communicates with the SmartShepherd app in real time, providing farmers with instant updates on the sheep’s behaviour and location. This enables farmers to quickly identify potential issues and take action before they become more serious.

Behaviour analysis: The app uses data analysis tools to process the information from the ear tags and generate insights into the sheep’s behaviour. These include information on feeding habits, movement patterns, and potential health issues.

Alerts and notifications: SmartShepherd provides farmers with alerts when potential issues arise, such as a sheep showing signs of illness or straying from the flock. These alerts allow farmers to take action quickly and minimise the impact of health or behavioural issues.

Dashboard and reporting: The app provides farmers with a dashboard and reporting tools to help keep track of key performance indicators, such as sheep health and behaviour. Farmers can use the tools to identify trends and patterns in their flock’s performance and make informed decisions about management practices.

CattleEye
CattleEye, which is similar to SmartShepherd, is designed for cattle farmers to monitor and analyse the behaviour and health of individual cattle in real time.

Camera-based monitoring: The CattleEye app uses cameras placed throughout the shed or field to monitor the behaviour and health of individual cattle. The cameras use machine learning algorithms to analyse the cattle’s behaviour and identify potential health issues.

Real-time monitoring: The camera system communicates with the app in real-time, providing farmers with instant updates on the cattle’s behaviour and health. This enables farmers to quickly identify potential issues and take action before they become more serious.

Behaviour analysis: CattleEye uses data analysis tools to process the information from the cameras and generate insights into the cattle’s behaviour. These insights include information on feeding habits, movement patterns, and potential health issues.

Alerts and notifications: The app provides farmers with alerts when potential issues arise, such as a cow showing signs of illness or abnormal behaviour. The alerts allow farmers to take action quickly and minimise the effect of health or behavioural issues.

Dashboard and reporting: The app provides farmers with a dashboard and reporting tools to help them track key performance indicators such as cattle health and behaviour, identify trends and patterns in their herd’s performance and make informed decisions about management practices.

Breedr
Breedr uses data analytics and machine learning to provide farmers with real-time insights into their herd’s performance, enabling them to optimise their breeding strategies and improve the overall profitability of their farm.

The Breedr app offers a number of key advantages:
Data collection: Breedr allows farmers to record key information about their herd, such as weight, age, and breeding history. This information is used to build a comprehensive database of the farm’s livestock, which can be analysed to identify trends and patterns in the herd’s performance.

Analytics and machine learning: The app uses data analytics and machine learning software to analyse the farm’s livestock data and generate insights into the herd’s performance. This includes information on breeding success rates, feed conversion rates, and other key performance indicators.

Breeding recommendations: The app provides farmers with breeding recommendations based on the data analysis, taking into account factors such as genetics, age, and health. This helps farmers to optimise their breeding strategies and improve the quality of their herd over time.

Sales and marketing: The app allows farmers to track the performance of individual animals and make informed decisions about when to sell them. This includes insights into market prices, demand, and other factors that can affect the profitability of the farm.
Integration with other systems: Breedr can integrate with other systems such as weight scales and electronic identification readers to automate data collection and improve the accuracy of the data.

AgriWebb
AgriWebb provides livestock farmers with a range of tools and features for managing their livestock, tracking their performance, and making informed decisions about their farm.
Its main features are the following:

Livestock management: The app enables farmers to record and track key information about their livestock, including breeding history, health records, and weight data. This information can be used to generate insights into the herd’s performance and inform management decisions.

Grazing management: AgriWebb provides farmers with tools for managing their pastures and monitoring grazing patterns. This includes information on grass growth rates, carrying capacity, and stocking rates.

Task management: The app allows farmers to assign tasks to themselves and their staff, track their progress, and receive alerts when tasks are due. This helps farmers stay on top of their workload and ensure that critical tasks are completed on time.

Reporting and analytics: The app provides farmers with a range of reporting and analytics tools to help them track key performance indicators and identify trends in their operation. This includes information on livestock growth rates, feed costs, and other metrics that affect the profitability of the farm.

Integration with other systems: The AgriWebb app can integrate with other systems such as EID readers and weight scales to automate data collection and improve the accuracy of the data.