Somebody needs to invent a calving alert system

[yuppiecowboy]

I got to thinking about this tonight as I was on the way back from a 30 mile round trip jaunt that would have been unnecessary had I known for certain there was no calving activity.

We have all kinds of aids for heat detection such as heatwatch, tattletails, lottery ticket dealies, etc. I would be forever grateful to whomever could come up with some sort of appliance that would send a signal to my computer to let me know labor has commenced. It would be great anytime, and could save  many a bitter cold midnight heifer check, but would especially do me service this time of year when I have cows scattered to various pastures.

It seems to me the technology has to exist. I would think like how heatwatch charts mounting activity, they could chart contractions couldnt they?

 

[drl]

I have been wondering the same thing. I don't know if a cow behaves different in eating or if her weight fluctuates where a growsafe scale deal would pick it up. Or if a little sensor would just monitor body movement and when you would get a series of movements indicating labor that an alarm would go off. Or I thought we should hire an intern in the spring and abuse them.

 

[lightnin4]

They do have some sort of implant for horses that signals a beeper or cell phone.  Not sure exactly how it works, but the technology does exist omewhat.

 

[cpubarn]

calving cameras hooked to the internet work.

Depends on calving area size of herd watched etc...

 

[Diamond]

the horse one is based off the stress and heart rate of the horse, I use to work at a horse breeding farm and the things never missed. They had about 40 show horses born a year. I wounder why they dont make it for the cattle?

 

[chambero]

If you really wanted to do it, the electronic heat detection systems work on the same principle.  Aren't they measuring temperature and heart rate, etc?

 

[JSchroeder]

Heatwatch and BullsEye are just sensors that record when a cow is mounted and keeps track of it.

 

[Shady Lane]

There are also foal alert sensors that can be attached to your mares halter, when she lays down flat on her side it sends a signal to a pager type of device telling you she has started foaling.

 

[chambero]

Heatwatch and BullsEye are just sensors that record when a cow is mounted and keeps track of it.

I've never messed with any of the electronic systems personally, but one of my friends had told me their embryologist uses some kind of system that is monitoring vitals.    I just assumed that was how they all worked.