Working with the Nottingham University and British Telecom , the PrognostiX team expects the smart solution , named Y-Ware , to have far-reaching benefits for the industry – from practical farm improvements to retailer traceability . “ By inserting a small bolus into the calf ’ s rumen , and combining it with long-distance LoRa wireless technology , we can pull together all the data in one place ,” explains Mr Beynon . “ With identification capability it offers similar benefits to electronic ear tags but with far more data recording and the bonus of being completely tamper-proof .”

The project secured funding through Innovate UK – and at

£ 1.13m over three years is one of the biggest grants awarded through the scheme . It is also a true application of Internet of Things ( IoT ) technology within livestock farming . “ It ’ s very exciting – we ’ re taking technology developed for other industries and developing it specifically for agriculture to deliver real benefits at significantly lower cost – so it will be accessible to all ,” says Mr Beynon .

PrognostiX is developing the bolus and wireless weighing platform , with BT working on the software and Nottingham University the algorithms to turn statistics into meaningful alerts to farmers . “ The idea is to locate the weighing platform by a water trough – whether inside or outside , it doesn ’ t matter ,” explains Mr Beynon . “ Each animal will then be weighed every time it drinks , and the information – along with its temperature – will be processed by the Edge hub before it is sent wirelessly to the farmer ’ s computer or mobile device .”

By developing unique Edge technology to process data at the point of collection , the system only sends alerts when needed – for example when an animal has a temperature or isn ’ t gaining weight , which saves on battery usage and minimises the data package required . It ’ s also possible to keep other farm records , such as medicine usage , on the bolus , keeping everything in one place .

Unlike other boluses , which are designed for adult cattle , the Y-

Ware bolus can be used in calves from 14 weeks of age . With incredibly accurate growth and performance data , farmers will be able to alter farm management to maximise efficiencies , says Mr Beynon . “ In due course we will be able to gather data from other sensors – such as housing temperatures and humidity – and use that to create the optimum farm environment for animal health and welfare .”

The project secured funding through Innovate UK – and at £ 1.13m over three years is one of the biggest grants awarded through the scheme .

Pneumonia and scours are the most common health problems in calves – typically costing £ 82 and £ 57 per affected calf , respectively . “ Using this new technology to reduce the incidence of disease will yield considerable savings in medicine use alone ,” he adds . “ When you consider the amount of time farmers spend rounding up animals to weigh them or treat them for disease , the labour saving will also be considerable , with less stress and improved health and safety for all involved . This really is game changing technology .”

For more information contact PrognostiX on 01392 872893 , visit www . y-ware . org or email : info @ prognostix-uk . com