The first holistic & preventive monitoring system of dairy cows’ health

Project Information

rumicon

Grant agreement ID: 887978

DOI

10.3030/887978

Project closed

EC signature date 15 November 2019

Start date 1 December 2019

End date 30 April 2020

Funded under

• INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Innovation In SMEs

Total cost

€ 71 429,00

EU contribution

€ 50 000,00

Coordinated by

DROPNOSTIX GMBH
Germany

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - rumicon (The first holistic & preventive monitoring system of dairy cows’ health)

Reporting period: 2019-12-01 to 2020-04-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Over the last decades, milk yields per cow have increased significantly. However, these high-performance dairy cows are exposed to frequent illnesses, leading to high mortality rates and low life expectancy (5.4 years instead of 22). The current 20-40% annual forced rejection rate (cows discarded in a herd due to disease or premature death) leads to economic losses to farmers of over €2.1 billion per year only in Germany. New cow health monitoring systems are needed to improve cows’ welfare, prolongate cow lifespan (and hereby reducing economic loses), and sustain high milk yields.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

Since the beginning of the project, we used the inputs obtained through our 1G prototype (tested with our pilot clients) to improve our hardware and software features, including improvements of our algorithm, a new design of our user interface, and the measurement of more parameters. These results have been integrated into a 2G prototype, which is currently being tested with our pilot clients. Preliminary results have identified further improvements that need to be undertaken to make our product more effective and to better target the needs of our users (dairy farmers).

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

Rumicon offers the first livestock health monitoring system that is holistic and predictive. Specifically designed for dairy cows, our bolus sensor is safe and designed to have a long operating life matching the cow’s lifetime. It is inserted in the rumen of heifers, where it measures a range of cow health and reproduction parameters wider than that of any currently available device (rumen motility, body temperature, movement behaviour, drinking behaviour, standing up / laying down patterns). Our patented solution offers a radically innovative approach, delivering the most integrated, descriptive, and predictive diagnoses of cow health. The data is then sent through radio to a cloud-based system, where our Machine Learning algorithms process the information into charts and data about known parameters for farmers, who can access via online. It can also set alarms and notifications that are delivered directly to farm managers and veterinarians when required.

Our solution will contribute to improving the economic performance of dairy farms, enlarging cow lifespan and wellbeing, and will contribute to a more sustainable agriculture. It moreover contributes to the objectives of the EU Green Deal (‘From farm to fork’: a fair, healthy, and environmentally-friendly food system).

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