Internet Of Animals

Wearables reveal the secret lives of farm animals.

17:36 07 June 2017

The Internet of Animals has arrived. Across the country, farmers are starting to build connected networks using a variety of devices including GPS trackers, microphones and accelerometers to effectively and efficiently track and monitor their flocks and herd. 

 

Technology has helped farmers raise thousands of animals together, which has resulted in increased scale and profitability. Livestock wearables are definitely the biggest in the field of Internet of Animals. Coming in different shapes and sizes, they offer a smart solution to keeping animals healthy in high-volume livestock operations. With such technology, farmers get access to information related to the health of their animals, allowing them to intervene earlier, provide more targeted care, and even encourage healthier behaviour from the outset. This is extremely important because healthier animals produce more – pork cutlets, milk, and eggs.

 

“The ability to track individuals in these systems is a game changer,” says Courtney Daigle, who directs Texas A&M’s animal behavior and welfare lab. “There’s only so much you can know by looking at a group of animals. These technologies give a window into these animals’ lives at a much deeper level.”