A state detector is configured to detect a biological state of a domestic animal based on biological data detected by a biological sensor portion, the biological sensor portion being non-invasively attached to and facing a body surface of the domestic animal to detect the biological data.

An electronic monitoring device (20) for attaching to an animal (21) for determining a plurality of states of an animal (21). The monitoring device (20) comprises an NFC module (31) which facilitates wireless communication between a smart phone (32) and the monitoring device (20). The monitoring device (20) comprises an accelerometer (27) for monitoring acceleration of the head (25) of the animal (21). A microprocessor (28) determines various states of the animal from signals received from the accelerometer (27). The smart phone (32) is programmed by a software application which allows an identifying code of the monitoring device (20) to be read from the memory chip (36) and cross-referenced in the smart phone (32) with the identity of an animal, which can be inputted into the smart phone (32). Data relating to the state or states of the animal can be read from the microprocessor (28) through the NFC module (31) wirelessly into the smart phone (32). Additionally, data relating to the animal stored in a cloud computer server corresponding to the state or states of the animal is downloaded from the cloud computer server by the smart phone (32).

An oestrus detector includes a reservoir portion which contains a coloured liquid. The detector further includes a generally planar portion that is attached to and sealed from the reservoir portion, except for an open or closed passage in a seal line separating the reservoir portion and the generally planar portion. In use the liquid is squeezed from the reservoir portion, through the passage, and into the generally planar portion, when the reservoir portion receives pressure.

Exemplary embodiments are directed to sensor apparatuses for attachment to an animal that include a housing and a sensor assembly. The housing can be attachable to the animal and includes an internal cavity formed therein. The sensor assembly can be disposed within the internal cavity of the housing. The sensor assembly includes a force sensor and an accelerometer arranged to detect force data and accelerometer data representative of a physiological state of the animal. Exemplary embodiments are also directed to method and sensor systems for detecting a physiological state of an animal.

The present invention relates to a method for calculating the body condition scoreBCS, the weight of an animal and its state of fertility by means of the mathematical processing of some characteristic morphological traits of the observed subject, which makes use of at least one contact or no-contact detection device of the profile 109 of the animal, at least a data processing unit and a program that implements a specific mathematical method of interpretation. By such a method, the determination of the body condition and its synthetic index or fattening index or FI, is independent of species, race, gender, age and absolute size of the examined animal. This method is also robust to possible errors of positioning of the apparatus by an operator.

Mounting behavior or the like by domestic animals or the like is easily detected. Included are a mounting-side apparatus attached to the neck of a first domestic animal and configured to emit a transmission signal, and a mounted-side apparatus attached at any position from the back to the tail of a second domestic animal. A communication interface of the mounted-side apparatus emits a response signal to a communication interface of the mounting-side apparatus.

An apparatus (100) for automatically detecting a status of an oestrus indicator associated with an animal is disclosed. The apparatus (100) comprises a structure having two substantially parallel barrier means (1) and moveable barrier means (2) for selectively preventing an animal from proceeding between the parallel barrier means (1). A camera (11) is provided for capturing an electronic image of an area of interest of the animal (A), the area of interest comprising an area of the animal (A) which the oestrus indicator is usually associated with or attached to. Processing means (300) determine a status of the oestrus indicator based on the image. Animal position sensing means (6) are also provided, wherein, in use, closing of the moveable barrier means (1) is dependent on the animal position sensing means (6) detecting that a required portion of the animal (A) has moved past the moveable barrier means (1). A method of automatically detecting a status of an oestrus indicator associated with an animal is also disclosed.

Disclosed is an animal tracking system having at least one temperature sensor associated with a heat transfer element which has a heat transfer area provided in a manner contacting the ear of livestock, in order to provide tracking of health information and behavior analyses of livestock by the breeder by an electronic ear tag fixed to the ear regions of livestock.

The invention relates to a data network for automatically monitoring voluntary behaviors of individual animals of an animal herd. The individual animals of the animal herd each have a node of the data network. A further node is attached at a location which an animal preferably approaches in the course of a behavior to be monitored. In the event that the animal approaches the node, communication occurs between the nodes, in which communication one node is identified by the other node and a central data-processing system is informed that the two nodes have come into contact. The communication between the two nodes occurs by means of the transfer of electrical signals in a closed electrical alternating-current circuit, which also passes, among other things, through the body of the animal as an electrical conductor.

A method for health monitoring comprises electronically receiving location information for a dairy livestock that is generated by a plurality of identification devices positioned in a pen that operate in conjunction with a tag worn by the dairy livestock. The method stores the location information associated with the dairy livestock, the location information comprising a location of the dairy livestock within the pen at each of a plurality of times during a first time period. The method determines, based on at least a portion of the stored location information, a turn index parameter indicating a number of times the particular dairy livestock reverses direction during the first time period. The method determines whether the particular dairy livestock is likely to be in estrus based at least in part upon whether the determined turn index parameter is in excess of a baseline turn index parameter by more than a predefined amount.