‘Fitbit’ for cows is a step up for dairy farmers

COWS could be given self-charging Fitbit-like gadgets to help farmers keep track of their movements.

Chinese researchers created a device that straps to the cow’s ankle or neck and uses their constant movement to recharge the battery.

“On a ranch, monitoring environmental and health information of cattle can help prevent diseases and improve the efficiency of pasture breeding and management,” said study co-author Zutao Zhang, an energy researcher at Southwest Jiaotong University in China. “This information can include oxygen concentration, air temperature and humidity, amount of exercise, reproductive cycles, disease, and milk production.”

Dr Zhang hopes implementing smart technology on farms will be part of a larger effort to improve the world’s food systems.

He said: “With the development of 5G technology and the Internet of Things, the operation of the entire industrial chain of the food system is more intelligent and transparent.”

The findings are published in the journal iscience.