Heat detection collars

[multi power]

How long would you expect it to last? Get over 10yrs? Definitely something I would never have considered but doesn’t sound too bad.

The box bit should last a long time, collars themselves about 5/6/7 years, there are other types with replaceable battery but I understand more of them fail due to moisture getting in
If you could carefully cut open, replace battery and successfully seal them back up the collars would last a very long time

 

[Jonny B88]

How is that going to work when he gets lame ? Or there is a lot of bulling cows and he just follows his favourite one all day ?

Well obviously if he gets lame you would have to change your system. Though using a vesectomised bull with a chin ball works along the same system and folk get on very well with it, after all the bull is the best heat detector. I have observed a bull working at different cows. Not sure about the always following ‘his’ favourite.

 

[Agriclegend]

A bit of a compare and contrast in FG of various heat monitoring systems. Moomonitor plus seems to have longest range from base station (up to 2km) but not sure whether anyone uses it on sucklers?

 

[Gulli]

A bit of a compare and contrast in FG of various heat monitoring systems. Moomonitor plus seems to have longest range from base station (up to 2km) but not sure whether anyone uses it on sucklers?

Got a link to the article? Been thinking about this for a while. Heard some good reviews for the allflex sensehub

 

[Agriclegend]

It was in the magazine, not sure whether the article is available on the web. The systems it compared were: AFIACT II , ICEQUBE, SENSEHUB, BREEDER TAG, MOOMONITOR+, SILENT HERDSMAN, COWMANAGER and SMAXTEC BASIC. There were no details of prices but otherwise quite useful. I wonder if any of the collar systems will allow you to try it on demo.

 

[Gulli]

It was in the magazine, not sure whether the article is available on the web. The systems it compared were: AFIACT II , ICEQUBE, SENSEHUB, BREEDER TAG, MOOMONITOR+, SILENT HERDSMAN, COWMANAGER and SMAXTEC BASIC. There were no details of prices but otherwise quite useful. I wonder if any of the collar systems will allow you to try it on demo.

I think they would if you sweet talked them, but probably don't advertise the fact

 

[Agriclegend]

Currently waiting for a call back from Dairymaster about the Moomonitor plus.

 

[Old Spot]

I have my own flask and do my own AI
Sync didn’t work that well
We use the rub strips and AI once a day, we cell/ mob/ rotational graze moving every day.
70 cows this time
The cows have the fields closest to the buildings during breeding
It is time consuming I keep a diary of heats 3 weeks before service and score out of three how well they are bulling/how I got on
Any tech that would help me do this is well worth a look
Please keep posting how the various systems work.

 

[Agriclegend]

Spoken to the agent about Smaxtec today. She said that they would loan the kit foc but I would have to pay for the bolus in order to trial it which is fair enough. Had a look at the kit and the control box is quite small so that is good, also fair bit cheaper than I had thought. Missed a call from Dairymaster in relation to moomonitor so will catch up with them next week.

 

[Agriclegend]

Caught up with Dairymaster. They say the algorithm in their system doesn't suit suckers with calves at foot so it is really a dairy only system.

 

[Agriclegend]

I will be trialing Smaxtec so will be able to see whether it as good as they say.

 

[Agriclegend]

I have my own flask and do my own AI
Sync didn’t work that well
We use the rub strips and AI once a day, we cell/ mob/ rotational graze moving every day.
70 cows this time
The cows have the fields closest to the buildings during breeding
It is time consuming I keep a diary of heats 3 weeks before service and score out of three how well they are bulling/how I got on
Any tech that would help me do this is well worth a look
Please keep posting how the various systems work.

I am told that the Smaxtec system will tell you the optimum time to AI based on the Algorithm. I will be interested to see how it works as I have tried rub strips, Kamars and Flashmates, all time consuming and if a cow loses the indicator is that because it has managed to scratch it off on a tree or fence or is it because she is bulling.

 

[Agriclegend]

One day into my trial of the Smaxtec system. Service from Moletech has been excellent. System is settling down. Photo is of the repeater which I have set up in the back of a trailer so I can move it around my paddocks.

 

[Paul E]

How are you getting on with this now, @Agriclegend ?

 

[Agriclegend]

I was a bit late getting it in to get good results on heat detection last year so this year will be the proper test of heat detection. It does detect the heats but I trialled it on a small group so when I moved them into a new paddock it thought they were on heat, I am told that the group effect with larger numbers of animals stops that (as they are all more active at the same time) so we will see. I also found you need to have the detectors fairly close to the cows so it works best in a tighter paddock grazing scenario although that depends on how many repeaters you buy (the more repeaters the wider the area you cover). I now have boluses in all my cows and the first are due to calve in March so that will be when I will know how well the calving alert works. As my cows are in for the winter I currently have it set up on the side of the building and it is picking up all my cows.

It's worth speaking to Helen at Moletech if you are interested, she is very helpful.

 

[ADHDan]

anyone using the 'moocallHEAT' for sucklers? the one with battery collar on a visec bull and ear tags that texts you.
Can steers be used to detect heat in cows like visec Bulls? or do they lack the consistency & drive a bull has to do the job? only reason for this is we are closed herd & everything is ringed, so would have to buy a bull in to wear the collar

 

[Hugh 2]

I was a bit late getting it in to get good results on heat detection last year so this year will be the proper test of heat detection. It does detect the heats but I trialled it on a small group so when I moved them into a new paddock it thought they were on heat, I am told that the group effect with larger numbers of animals stops that (as they are all more active at the same time) so we will see. I also found you need to have the detectors fairly close to the cows so it works best in a tighter paddock grazing scenario although that depends on how many repeaters you buy (the more repeaters the wider the area you cover). I now have boluses in all my cows and the first are due to calve in March so that will be when I will know how well the calving alert works. As my cows are in for the winter I currently have it set up on the side of the building and it is picking up all my cows.

It's worth speaking to Helen at Moletech if you are interested, she is very help

Hi I am curious as to how you got on with the SmaXtec bolus especially the calving and more importantly the breeding

Do the cows always have to be within reading zone of sensor -(like the one on your trailer picture)
I have considered collars and Maby I was being naive but I thought the sensor only needed to be near parlour and as the cows approached the parlour and came into range the data was picked up analysed and the alerts start popping up on the phone.

Thanks

 

[Agriclegend]

Now on Smaxtec 2 version, can detect the readings from a greater distance now depending on how you mount the detector. Range is probably up to about 400m-ish so I don't need to move the detectors around as much. I would say calving detection is great, gives you a decent amount of notice when a cow is going to calve. Also Smaxtec includes has some useful health benefits around water consumption and various things. The heat detection takes some getting used to and works better with bigger groups.

The Smaxtec team seem to have quite a lot of people on the system so there is probably someone near you.

 

[Agriclegend]

It works best if the cows are constantly within range of the reader, this is less of a problem with the Smaxtec 2 as the range is so much better. Real gamechanger.

 

[Hugh 2]

It works best if the cows are constantly within range of the reader, this is less of a problem with the Smaxtec 2 as the range is so much better. Real gamechanger.

Thank you for the replies.
Hard here to have all the farm in range I am wondering if out of range you get gaps in data, or do they have memory and data catches up when they arrive back in for milking?
Also have you used them on bulling heifers.?
Thanks
Regards Hugh