How a new Electronic Necklace by Dr. Edmond Harty can spot when a cow is fertile.
It’s a tough call for any farmer to stay up till the wee hours to see if his prize cows are on heat and ready for servicing. But scientist Edmond Harty, 37, has used rocket and smartphone technology for an electronic necklace that will do just that for him.
On Wednesday June 5th, Dr. Harty will take his MooMonitor device to glitzy Monte Carlo as part of his entry for world finals of the Entrepreneur of the Year awards.
The Kerry scientist said: “About 70 per cent of heats on a dairy farm are at night-time, when the farmer isn’t watching his cows. They are generally more active at the time. In simple terms they are friskier, and he won’t see it. Every time a farmer misses a cow’s heat it costs him about €250”.
The MooMonitor sends texts or voice alerts to farmers about the fertility of each cow in their herd.
(Irish Daily Mail – Monday 03/06/2013 – Page11)
This device (depending on retail price) may prove to be an indispensable item on the dairy farm in years to come.