HerdDogg’s remote-sensing wearables and cloud-based platform enables scientists to efficiently gather real-time biometrics information for each of the 55 Holstein dairy cows in the program

HerdDogg, the agtech innovator that creates more value for producers' livestock, has joined the WKU SmartHolstein Lab program to equip scientists with real-time animal biometric data that is critical to understanding dairy cow health and wellbeing. The WKU SmartHolstein Lab is a strategic, synergistic partnership between Holstein Association USA and Western Kentucky University Department of Agriculture and Food Science. Its mission is to lead Holstein and dairy advancements through research, development, and outreach in technologies, analytics, and genetics.

This week, HerdDogg tags were affixed to each of the 55 Holsteins at the SmartHolstein demonstration and development farm in Bowling Green, Kentucky, where scientists are studying novel phenotypic traits using the latest technologies such as wearable technologies, computer vision powered by artificial intelligence, and milk-based biomarkers. The SmartHolstein team is examining the practical use of data for on-farm decision making, with additional analytics performed by AgriTech Analytics, a DHI dairy records processing center owned by Holstein Association.

The project's long-term goal is to develop a 100-percent A2, polled herd of cows in the top 20 percent of the breed for TPI® (Total Performance Index) with additional emphasis on health, reproduction, and fitness traits. As a data-collection partner for SmartHolstein, HerdDogg is supplying its latest biometrics platform and Bluetooth tags for the 55 animals that comprise the nuclear herd, giving scientists access to accurate, real-time animal activity biometric data.

By analyzing this data for each animal, the team aims to better understand the relationship between animal wellbeing on each animal's estrous cycle, especially estrus. For example, the HerdDogg mobile app will provide real-time alerts to the team when an animal begins estrus.

"We are delighted to be a part of this landmark scientific study at the top research, development, and demonstration center for the dairy industry," said Melissa Brandao, HerdDogg's founder and chief revenue officer. "Animal biometrics and welfare data are key to running a dairy more efficiently, and we're eager to show Holstein producers the value delivered by the HerdDogg platform."

"With HerdDogg's real-time animal biometrics sensors and cloud-based Animal Record Collection platform, our scientific team can efficiently gather incredibly accurate data that we hope will provide additional insights into each animal," said Jeffrey Bewley, a long-time dairy tech researcher involved with the WKU SmartHolstein Lab project.

How the HerdDogg animal biometrics platform works
HerdDogg's patented technology is a small, lightweight tag designed for easy installation on cattle, bison, and other livestock. The HerdDogg TraceTag reports identification and location, while the HerdDogg WelfareTag tracks animal biometrics. HerdDogg's portable tag reader, the DoggBone, is a Bluetooth-to-cellular bridge engineered for remote monitoring of livestock that can read tags at a distance of 100 yards or more. Sensor data is recorded and automatically uploaded to the HerdDogg cloud-based Animal Traceability Platform, which can be accessed from any device, including smartphones and desktop web browsers. Animal data is captured and transmitted in real time, and producers can augment animal records with their own insights and reporting.

About HerdDogg
HerdDogg is passionate about livestock. Our innovative data platform sits at the intersection of agtech, the internet of things, and global food security. Our patented DoggTags and DoggBone, together with our Animal Traceability Platform, help producers make more money from every animal they raise. The HerdDogg system enables animal tracking, welfare monitoring and traceability via a cloud-based platform and an easy-to-use mobile application. For more information, visit herddogg.com.