Ear Tags Keep Track Of Cattle
 ✖  |
Ear tags from 701x software keep a remote eye on cattle at all times. Every 15 min., a solar-powered GPS receiver records where the animal is. On-board sensors track movement or lack of movement and transmit data to the 701x Autonomous Rancher app. It records data and sends out alerts if problems are detected.
“If the animal goes outside a preset virtual fence, stops moving, or is moving more than 29 mph, an alert goes out to the owner,” says Max Cossette, 701x. “If the animal moves a lot in a short amount of time, it indicates it may be being chased and a high activity alert goes out. There’s also a free-fall alert if a tag falls off or is cut off.”
There are cellular ear tags (xTpro) and Bluetooth ear tags (xTlite). The xTpro contains a cellular transmitter that forwards location data for the animal wearing it. It also collects data from xTlite tags within 100 ft. via Bluetooth and forwards that info to the app. The company recommends having one xTpro for every 10 xTlite tags for best results.
Bluetooth signals allow cattlemen to walk or ride through a herd and identify and review movement data on individual animals. The tags feature an LED light that can be activated via Bluetooth if looking for a specific animal.
The app’s roll-call feature automatically checks off every animal within 150-ft. of a phone. It identifies any animals not checked off and their last GPS-tracked location.
Other features of the app include tracking income and expenses, viewing financial summaries, and transferring animals. Records can be created and updated chute side while working cattle to capture weight, temperature, treatments, pregnancy checks, and more.
The biggest value for a cow-calf operator may be the use of the xTpro tag on bulls. “Herd managers can virtually check in with bulls every morning,” he says. “If they are with cows, they are likely breeding. If not, that can mean fewer cows bred and calves born. At today’s prices, each calf is worth $1,000 to $1,200.”
Cossette suggests that value may increase substantially as more features are added to the ear tags and the app. These will include mounting data for bulls and a herd tracking report that represents all the location data on screen.
“The app will filter out all the bred cows and identify open cows with different color dots for cows and bulls,” says Cossette. “If there are too many unbred, it may indicate a bad bull has been keeping a group of cows away from other herd bulls.”
A major feature of the app is the digital calf book that can be used as a stand-alone tool or in conjunction with the ear tags. It allows the user to input existing logs or to log in new calving records.
“With our software, there is one central calving book, regardless of how many are entering data remotely,” says Cossette. “It eliminates the problem with a calving book or notes being lost.”
Cossette notes that once uploaded, data is secured and protected within Azure, the Microsoft cloud platform. Approved users can also download data to a device or a desktop computer.
Access to the app is available at monthly or annual rates based on the number of cattle in the herd and whether it’s commercial or registered. The app for registered herds is more expensive as it has more features. It allows data to be downloaded or uploaded to the breed registry automatically.
Each xTpro tag is priced at $83 with an annual service charge of $42. xTlite tags are priced at $17.50 plus the $42 annual service charge.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, 701x, 700 Main Ave., Fargo, N.D. 58103 (ph 844-444-7019; info@701x.com; www.701x.com).
Ear Tags Keep Track Of Cattle Ear tags from 701x software keep a remote eye on cattle at all times Every 15 min a solar-powered GPS receiver records where the animal is On-board sensors track movement or lack of movement and transmit data to the 701x Autonomous Rancher app It records data and sends out alerts if problems are detected “If the animal goes outside a preset virtual fence stops moving or is moving more than 29 mph an alert goes out to the owner ” says Max Cossette 701x “If the animal moves a lot in a short amount of time it indicates it may be being chased and a high activity alert goes out There’s also a free-fall alert if a tag falls off or is cut off ” There are cellular ear tags xTpro and Bluetooth ear tags xTlite The xTpro contains a cellular transmitter that forwards location data for the animal wearing it It also collects data from xTlite tags within 100 ft via Bluetooth and forwards that info to the app The company recommends having one xTpro for every 10 xTlite tags for best results Bluetooth signals allow cattlemen to walk or ride through a herd and identify and review movement data on individual animals The tags feature an LED light that can be activated via Bluetooth if looking for a specific animal The app’s roll-call feature automatically checks off every animal within 150-ft of a phone It identifies any animals not checked off and their last GPS-tracked location Other features of the app include tracking income and expenses viewing financial summaries and transferring animals Records can be created and updated chute side while working cattle to capture weight temperature treatments pregnancy checks and more The biggest value for a cow-calf operator may be the use of the xTpro tag on bulls “Herd managers can virtually check in with bulls every morning ” he says “If they are with cows they are likely breeding If not that can mean fewer cows bred and calves born At today’s prices each calf is worth $1 000 to $1 200 ” Cossette suggests that value may increase substantially as more features are added to the ear tags and the app These will include mounting data for bulls and a herd tracking report that represents all the location data on screen “The app will filter out all the bred cows and identify open cows with different color dots for cows and bulls ” says Cossette “If there are too many unbred it may indicate a bad bull has been keeping a group of cows away from other herd bulls ” A major feature of the app is the digital calf book that can be used as a stand-alone tool or in conjunction with the ear tags It allows the user to input existing logs or to log in new calving records “With our software there is one central calving book regardless of how many are entering data remotely ” says Cossette “It eliminates the problem with a calving book or notes being lost ” Cossette notes that once uploaded data is secured and protected within Azure the Microsoft cloud platform Approved users can also download data to a device or a desktop computer Access to the app is available at monthly or annual rates based on the number of cattle in the herd and whether it’s commercial or registered The app for registered herds is more expensive as it has more features It allows data to be downloaded or uploaded to the breed registry automatically Each xTpro tag is priced at $83 with an annual service charge of $42 xTlite tags are priced at $17 50 plus the $42 annual service charge Contact: FARM SHOW Followup 701x 700 Main Ave Fargo N D 58103 ph 844-444-7019; info@701x com; www 701x com
