The Austrian Smaxtec sensor, marketed since 2016, is used to regularly measure the rumen pH value and rumen temperature of cows. Each sensor has a battery with an expected lifespan of around five years, however the device is guaranteed for the life of the cow. According to the manufacturer, there is no risk of injury to the Anima and no risk of loss.
New for 2023 is water consumption estimation. “For the first time in the world we are able to measure the actual water consumption of each cow,” says the manufacturer. The bolus calculates the temperature drop in the rumen during the watering periods and uses this data to calculate the amount of water a cow drinks per day. A deviation from the normal water intake can indicate the occurrence of metabolic disorders, the presence of incorrect tension or problems with competition or stress.
The new functionality complements the existing features of the rumen monitoring boluses, such as B. the rumen pH measurement, which allows the monitoring of rumen health and the detection of fermentation problems. The sensor can also measure core body temperature with an accuracy of ±0.018°C, measure rumination based on rumen contractions and track a cow’s activity level.
The system can suggest an ideal insemination window for cows in heat or signal the start of calving. On average, 15 hours before a cow is about to calve, the bolus detects the natural drop in the cow’s body temperature, which signals impending calving. If a cow does not actually calve within this 15 hour window, it is usually a sign that the cow will have a metabolic problem during the transition.
The bolus can detect subclinical signs three to four days before clinical signs. Unnatural temperature drops are a sign of metabolic disorders. Temperature increases are a sign of inflammation and diseases such as mastitis, metritis, lameness, pneumonia and the immune system’s first reaction to something wrong.