Livestock Bolus
Non-invasive, real-time cattle bolus and cow herd management system for optimum health, quality and cost savings
Smarter Technologies has designed and built an innovative RFID cattle bolus to manage cow herds effectively and efficiently to prevent the onset of stress or disease. Connected to our privately-owned Orion Data Network, these bolus tags provide real-time data analytics on individual animals, giving you accurate visibility into cow herd management and the opportunity to make informed business decisions.
Our ActiveHerd rumen cattle bolus allows you to track and monitor the temperature of every individual in the herd. This enables you to:
Benefit from early disease detection
Detect changes in feed quality and nutrition
Gain visibility on stress factors
Plan the working day more efficiently
Make better-informed decisions
Monitor feed quality
Prevent the spread of disease
Accurately determine calving times
Monitor the entire lactation period
Improve carcass quality
Market beef stock at the right time
Maximise profits
How Does ActiveHerd Cattle Bolus Work?
Made from medical-grade plastic, the ActiveHerd cattle bolus implants are ergonomic, bullet-shaped implants with a five-year lifespan that are quickly and easily placed in the cows’ rumen using a bolus gun.
These boluses accurately and continuously monitor any temperature fluctuations in each member of the herd, 24/7. All data is transmitted automatically via the Orion Data Network; first to the gateway, and then to a cloud-based system that allows farmers, vets and scientists to process the information and deal with unexpected issues. The network’s software easily is installed across multiple devices.
To ensure high levels of accuracy, the Orion Data Network’s algorithms establish a temperature baseline that takes normal fluctuations into account. This ensures that temperature changes caused by natural activities (such as drinking water) don’t trigger an alert.
What is the Orion Data Network?
Smarter Technologies’ privately-owned Orion Data Network is a low-power, long-range, real-time asset tracking and security network being used the world over. The Orion Data Network uses active radio frequency identification (RFID) asset management technology that connects to your network and relays information in real-time, automatically updating you on the condition of your livestock at any time, from anywhere. The data is displayed on your bespoke, cloud-based dashboard, which can be accessed by multiple users on multiple devices.
Why choose Smarter Technologies’ Orion Data Network?
SIM Free
No GSM associated costs and smaller devices.
Lower frequency than GSM
Tags can be seen inside everything.
Reduced power requirement
Tags last for years, not days.
Multi-functional
Track, indicate temperature, movement, shock and more.
Remote configuration
Can receive messages in all locations.
Coverage
500m to 10km per gateway.
Recovery ability
Can switch from digital to analogue to increase recovery capabilities and accurate location finding.
Rapid deployment of infrastructure
Due to the wireless nature of the Orion Data Network.
Benefits of ActiveHerd Cattle Bolus
Early detection of disease before herd shows outward signs of illness
Identify and contain contagious illness before infection spreads
Faster diagnosis and treatment
Lower your mortality rates
Raise productivity
Reduce the economic impacts of non-fatal diseases
Eliminate the need for costly IT hardware and support
Accurately predict calving times
Give veterinarians remote access to data
Reduce dependence on antibiotics
Reduce labour and attract the new generation of tech-savvy employees
ActiveHerd Cattle Bolus Example Use Cases
Temperature Monitoring
Temperature fluctuations are a primary indicator when cattle are exposed to diseases such as Bovine Respiratory Disease (BRD) and Bovine Viral Diarrhoea Virus BVD). An increased core body temperature is often a sign of a challenged immune system.
With Smarter Technologies’ ActiveHerd Livestock Bolus, you will receive a comprehensive overview of your herd’s performance by monitoring the core temperatures of your livestock, enabling you to take preventative measures to reduce the spread of infection and disease.
Welfare Monitoring
Until recently, it has been extremely difficult to accurately measure any information relating to herd welfare in a non-evasive and stress-free manner. With Smarter Technologies’ herd management tools, you’ll be able to identify physiological changes affecting daily liveweight gain, nutrition and the general wellbeing of your livestock.
By observing environmental factors such as heat stress, the effect of nutritional variations if feed quality alters and other stress-inducing factors such as housing density and barrier feed-point overcrowding using a cattle bolus, you’ll gain a greater understanding of how different conditions affect your livestock. Prompt intervention can initiate earlier procedures with better outcomes, often with lower medication and labour. As a result, your animals can continue to achieve daily liveweight gain targets with lower mortality rates and productivity loss.
Lactation Monitoring
Elevated temperature and humidity have a negative effect on a cow’s feed intake, leading to reduced milk production. Heat stress can increase body temperature, which may affect the fat synthesis in the mammary gland and reduce the quantity and quality of the milk.
With Smarter Technologies’ ActiveHerd Livestock and Cattle Bolus, you will instantly receive data on abnormal temperature fluctuations during the lactation period, allowing you to take measures to reduce heat stress and improve milk production.
Your World, Smarter.
Farmers who use digital technology to achieve precision livestock farming gain a competitive advantage and create economically viable, sustainable and more environmentally-friendly businesses.
Contact us today to see how the Orion Data Network can benefit your business.
Our experts are on-hand to advise you on the most efficient and cost-effective cattle bolus and smart technology solutions for your business’ needs.