Computer advances may improve heat detection

ADVANCES in computer technology could be the solution for dairy farmers who are losing up to €170 per cow per annum because of undetected heats, resulting in later calving.

A trial on a farm in north Cork, using a newly developed meter that measures cow movement, has produced the most promising results yet for automated heat detection in cows.

Dairymaster’s MooMonitor was tested by Teagasc on the Ballydague farm, near Fermoy, in 2007.