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Estrous Detection Tag
Jim Rodrian, president of Elsyn, developed and patented two versions of Estrous Detection Tags that are used by dairy farmers to aid them in determining when to breed their cows. Companies on three continents have been licensed to manufacture these tags, which are currently sold world-wide.
The scope of Jim's activities during the development of this product was broad and is indicative of the capabilities of Elsyn that extend beyond that of circuit design or software development. The project began with an idea that Jim evaluated by researching dairy industry market opportunities and needs. Once he established that there was a need for this type of product, Jim reviewed research findings that showed a correlation between cow activity and ovulation (estrus). The design of the electronic hardware and firmware was followed by addressing packaging issues. The assembled tag survives an outdoor environment that includes temperature extremes, rain, mud, and manure that may be found in the barn yard environment. Jim conducted research with working models of his Estrous Detection Tags on cows to verify the earlier research and validate his designs. With working models in hand, patents were applied for and granted, and the technology was licensed.
Estrous Detection
Download a sample of data collected with the Self-Contained Estrous Detection Tag.
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A dairy cow's activity increases significantly when she is ovulating (estrus, or commonly called "in heat"). The self-contained version of the Estrous Detection Tag includes a battery powered microprocessor that records the activity of the cow every two hours. The microprocessor compares the cow's current level of activity with her previous level of activity and calculates a "rate" number. When the cow is in estrus, the rate number changes from a nominal value of 1.0 to 2.0, or more.
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