Nedap Cow Positioning with integrated Heat Detection and Health Monitoring

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1 UK System Infosheet with integrated Heat Detection and Health Monitoring Labour efficiency is a constant point for attention at the continuously expanding dairy farms of today: how can we work in an optimally efficient manner? A very practical problem in regard to the ever increasing herd sizes is tracking individual animals. Finding an animal for essential individual care can be a time consuming task. Not only for the dairy farmer, but also, for example, for the veterinarian or the inseminator. And this goes right against the objected efficiency improvements at the dairy farm. Nedap Cow Positioning To support the dairy farmer in quickly tracking specific animals within a large herd, Nedap has developed the Cow Positioning system. From now on tracking animals, such as those that need individual care, is no longer a time consuming activity. The technology is always combined with the Nedap Heat Detection and Health Monitoring systems. This not only ensures that farmers can find their animals with ease; the system also detects behaviour and movements in regard to possible heat with high accuracy, and the eating behaviour of the individual animal which provides indications of potential health problems or risks. Result: the dairy farmer obtains all the information needed in order to act in a fast and targeted manner. The system simply leads the dairy farmer to each animal in the barn by means of a map on a tablet, smartphone or PC. In addition, the farmer can inseminate animals at the optimum moment and address any potential health issues in a timely manner. The dairy farmer saves valuable time and remains in control to achieve and maintain the best performance from each individual animal; regardless of the size of the herd. Nedap. Vital element for growth.

2 System Infosheet The options Cow Positioning registers the position and the movements of each individual animal in the herd. At the base of the system are the beacons that, mounted in various places within the barn, each transmit a unique lowfrequency signal. The 3D magnetic field sensor in the Nedap Smarttag Neck receives signals from several beacons, enabling identification of the animal s position. The system will then simply show the dairy farmer the position of each animal on a digital map of the barn. This can be read on a PC or mobile applications such as smartphones or tablets. Finding animals that, for example, need individual care is now an activity of the past. Especially at farms with larger herds or those that work with milking robots will save substantial time, resulting in a positive impact on labour efficiency. Display Accuracy The beacons transmit a continuous signal. The Smarttag Neck periodically sends its position information to the central antenna. On a digital map of the barn, accessible via PC, smartphone or tablet. Depending on the number of beacons. When the beacons are interspaced approx metres, animals can be tracked accurately within approx. 1 metre. Saves time and labour in regard to tracking animals in larger herds and/or animals at farms that use milking robots; for example those that need individual care. Searching for a cow is now an activity of the past. RealTime Heat Detection To identify the position of the individual animal in the barn, the system uses the Nedap Smarttag Neck. In addition to the technology that determines the position, this tag also contains the Nedap Heat Detection technology. with integrated Heat Detection effortlessly detects neck movements that indicate heat - such as sniffing and chin resting - via the G sensor in the Smarttag Neck. Data is directly available by means of long-distance data transfer. The registered information is saved in the memory of the tag during 24 hours to avoid any missing data - even when the animal has been out of the antenna s reach for a short while. As soon as the tag reconnects with the system, all data is once again exchanged. Identification of changes Alerts Continuously, 24/7. Data in 2 hour-periods is compared with data from the same period during the preceding days. Continuously, RealTime Suspected heat alert Heat alert with optimum insemination moment Accurate identification of the optimum insemination moment enables more effective insemination, resulting in shorter calving intervals and optimisation of the milk production. ISO Identification (optional) A reliable, high-performance solution for identification in management applications such as milking, feeding and separating. Optimum identification that always works, even when the battery is flat. Eating Monitoring Eating monitoring shows the time per day that an animal takes in roughage or grazes. The Nedap Smarttag Neck which is used for the Cow Positioning system continuously monitors the animal for these movements. Changes in eating behaviour indicate that there may be something wrong with the particular animal. Identification of changes Continuously, 24/7. Comparison of daily total with totals of the preceding 10 days. Alerts Deviation from the average daily total. Timely monitoring of animals that show significant changes in their eating behaviour and the opportunity to take adequate measures in the event of any health problems, in order to avoid a drop in milk production as well as treatment and culling costs. This particularly applies in the period before and after calving, when the animal is more susceptible to diseases because of changes in environment, feed, energy balance and stress.

3 System Infosheet The system The patented system with integrated Heat Detection registers the position of the individual animals on the basis of several beacons that are mounted in the barn. The number of beacons determines the accuracy of the system. When positioned with intermediated spaces of approximately metres, accuracy of approximately 1 metre can be achieved - more than sufficient to display the exact location of a cow. Each beacon transmits a unique, low-frequency signal, whereby a unique frequency distribution is created covering all locations in the barn. The 3D magnetic field sensor in the Nedap Smarttag Neck receives the unique frequency and communicates this to the central UHF antenna every 5 seconds. Measurements in regard to heat expression or eating behaviour are also registered by the Smarttag and continuously received by the central antenna. The beacons transmit a unique, low frequency signal. Smarttag Neck registers the unique distributed frequency in the barn and the behaviour and movements of the individual animal System requirements and options 3mtr Map Clear registration of the position of each animal in the barn is only possible with a structured digital map of the barn. In order to guarantee the use of the most practical barn map for the farm, the farmer or the system installer may choose to add a map to the system. Any map in PNG or JPG format can simply be loaded into the system. Calibration The unique frequency distribution in the barn forms the basis for accurate position analysis. It is therefore required that the system s Process Controller recognises this unique frequency distribution. To ensure that the Process Controller gets to know these frequencies, the system must be calibrated. offers a simple calibration process for this purpose. The calibration process is easy to perform with a digital help programme, used for feeding the barn layout into the system. The final step in this process is validation, involving a route walked through the barn which is then displayed on the digital map. When this is displayed correctly, the system was successfully calibrated and is ready for use. 6 The position of each animal that needs to be in view is shown on the digital barn map, displayed on PC, smartphone or tablet. In addition, automatic alerts are sent in regard to animals that are in heat or show changes in their eating behaviour 1 5 The Process Controller - the heart of the system - analyses the individual information per cow and displays the available results on PC, smartphone or tablet. Smart, patented technology For the Cow Positioning system, Nedap uses a patented low frequency signal that is transmitted by the beacons. The smart use of this low frequency technology ensures that the system is not prone to interference of the signal due to blockage by animals, water or constructions The antenna continuously receives the data of all individual animals. The ID Controller collects all data and sends this to the Process Controller System characteristics with integrated Heat Detection is one of the many possible applications of the Nedap Dairy Management technical platform (version: Velos). This platform is typified by: Easily scalable system The system can easily be modified to suit any farm size; the Process Controller - the heart of the system - can accommodate any amount of upscaling and any farm size. Flexible to use and add to Various applications such as Separating, Electronic Concentrate Feeding and Milk Yield Recording can be connected to the technical platform. All applications are controlled by the same central Process Controller, which contains all the required software. Centralised software All required software resides locally at a farm in the central Process Controller. Specific applications can be made available at any time with individual licences. Updates need to be performed in one central place in the system only. There is no need for users to install software on their PC, tablet or smartphone; the only requirement is a browser (for example Internet Explorer). Remote access Systems can be monitored, updated and serviced from any location via the internet. Mobile applications The technical platform is easy to link to mobile applications such as tablets and smartphones. The interface of the technical platform then changes to a mobile version.

4 System Infosheet The benefits Nedap Cow Positioning Popular combinations The flexible character of the Dairy Management technical platform makes with integrated Heat Detection easy to expand. Popular add-ons are: Milking parlour -/ robot identification Nedap Electronic Concentrate Feeding Integration into an existing system with integrated Heat Detection, or part of this system, can be linked to an existing system and/ or management packages using a simple function. The Process Controller can be connected to a system and/or to dairy management packages via a custom application (.NET) or a Taurus link. It is also possible to link the system to existing applications at server level. As the Application Service Provider (ASP), Nedap can provide the right data in the desired manner. For you as a distributor A system that is easy to install for various reasons, including: - beacon comes with a pre-assembled connector, - a handy digital help programme for calibration of the system, - very easy to use option for loading a digital barn map into the system. Based on a scalable and flexible technical platform and therefore easy to expand without large investments: low threshold for the customer in regard to additional purchases. Modular design makes it easy to replace products and modules in the event of any defects. Remote access enables updates and services via the internet. Data exchange is possible at various locations in the system, which means that (parts of) the system can be integrated into existing products. All Nedap products are subjected to quality testing before they are supplied to the customer. Nedap provides active customer support in the areas of Sales, Marketing, Training and Service. Clear Nedap terms and conditions in regard to guarantee and service. For the end user Animals are very efficiently, quickly and accurately tracked in the barn: high labour efficiency. System is combined with Nedap Heat Detection technology with Health Monitoring. Stable system due to a low frequency signal which is not prone to interference by animals, water or constructions. Results are displayed on a digital map on the PC, smartphone or tablet. Optional ISO identification for management applications. Easy to install.

5 Due to our increasing population and prosperity, dairy and meat producers have seen a rise in the demand for their products. This development is accompanied by increasingly stricter requirements in regard to the quality and safety of food and simultaneously, there is a rise in the costs of raw materials, labour and energy. For more than 35 years Nedap has responded to these challenges by delivering the precise technological solutions that enable sustainable growth for producers in the livestock industry. Feeding, milking, separating, sorting and heat detection; barn automation on the basis of electronic individual animal identification makes it possible to manage individual animal care and to monitor production and health. This saves you valuable time, provides a calm atmosphere and a clear overview. As a result, costs will be reduced and profits will increase. Furthermore, it will enable you to produce in a much more animal-friendly manner. Nedap Livestock Management P.O. Box AC Groenlo The Netherlands T +31 (0) E livestockmanagement@nedap.com nedap.com/livestockmanagement