The technology developed by ITI Techmedia aims to reduce costs associated with the detection of conditions in cattle, including oestrus and parturition.

The wireless telemetric monitoring system offers a valuable aid to farm management, providing a means to remotely monitor herds which allows herd managers to direct their resources more efficiently

The Condition-based Monitoring system (above) features collar hardware embedded with a range of wireless sensors, two-way radio communications between collar and base station, embedded behavioural models and protocols for data transfer from the sensors.

The overall benefit of the on-farm system will come from the delivery of good quality information, integrated into herd management systems, assisting farmers to improve the lifetime value of their cattle.

ITI Techmedia works with a number of commercial partners: Glasgow based Embedded Technology Solutions providing the electronics and eCow the animal monitoring specialist, as well as Chippenham based National Milk Records .

Consultant in herd monitoring
eCow's founder Toby Mottram (right)  learnt practical farming on mixed farms in Galloway in the seventies. After trying to set up a craft manufacturing business on Islay,  he turned to dairying and milked cows professionally for 8 years and studied part-time for an Open University degree in Engineering in which I gained First Class Honours in 1985.

Rcruited by the AFRC (later BBSRC) to join the team developing robotic milking at Silsoe in 1989, he completed a PhD in Automatic Milking to became a Chartered Engineer.

Since 1995 he has developed biosensor technologies to non-invasively monitor animal health. Designing and testing milk & breath sampling for dairy cows, a saliva sampler for pigs and a telemetric pH bolus for rumen studies.

Moving date online
NMR is already offering a PDA based, Pocket Cow Manager that passes data out of Interherd or ImpelPro onto the PDA so farmers can use it to make management decisions. Animal details screens show the animal’s name and ID, ancestry, progeny, lactation records, event details and treatments.

NMR (L to R) board members: Trevor Lloyd, Bryan Thomas, Chris Hughes, Andy Warne, Philip Kirkham, Ian Smith

Events can be logged on the PDA  passed back to Interherd/ImpelPRO to update the main system. An action list shows, for example the animals that are overdue, record drug usage record, with batch numbers and quantity used, updating records, input milk weights  along with a SCC report and lactation certificates.

The three organisations will be developing the technology into products and solutions for agricultural markets. It is anticipated that the first of these products will become available later this year.

Commenting on the award, Terry Hurley, MD of ITI Techmedia, said: “To be recognised and awarded for this technology by the professional agricultural community is a great accolade. It shows that the system is considered to have the capability to make a positive contribution to herd management practices.  Through our Commercial Partners we have great confidence that the market potential of the technology will be rapidly and successfully exploited.”

RHASS director Douglas Fowlie, who chairs the assessment panel, said:  “The ongoing development of new machinery and technology is integral to the efficiency of agriculture and related industries. We are pleased to recognise the effort and expertise that goes into all of that innovation and trust that our medals and certificates add value to the successful products.”