eCow was founded in 2007 to make better instrumentation for dairy cow research . Our main products are the Rumen Analyser and the eCollar both of which log data for research scientists in dairying. Contact Sam@ecow.co.uk
Dynamic Mapping of Rumen Acidity
Dynamic Rumen Modelling: How a bolus measures acidosis
eCow rumen boluses are very accurate with a drift less than 0.1 pH per month. The eBolus resides at the bottom of the reticulum which is a secure location with limited movement. The main bacterial activity and its rapidly changing pH takes place in the ventral sac with constant churning and dynamic change. We have developed a dynamic model of the rumen to demonstrate the differences due to measurement location. The model takes values from a .csv file downloaded from an eBolus. Each square represents a different part of the rumen each of which has an offset from the reticulum. You can see how the ventral sac is always 0.2 pH units lower than the reticulum. Buy an eBolus and you can map these data too and develop a better model of rumen acidosis.
Acidosis Index
We are now working towards an acidosis index which is based on more than previous versions which are primitive especially those based on single point measures or extraction of rumen liquor which inevitably have limitations. Join the eCow Partnership Programme with a loaned base station and replacement boluses to help build the model which with the redox sensors can be used predict methane emissions as well as detect acidosis.
How we developed the Rumen Analyser
eCow Ltd was created in 2007 to make high quality instrumentation for dairy cow monitoring. Toby Mottram had invented the first pH rumen bolus in 2003 for a major biotechnology company who wanted to test the efficacy of a rumen modifying product. Because of the confidentiality clauses we could not talk about that until friends at the University of Brisbane used some old prototypes after the end of the project, the results were published as Continuous monitoring of ruminal pH using wireless telemetry and in more detail Philips et al, pH Telemetry.
However, although the Silsoe system was very accurate a large number of boluses failed quickly. My experience with that design led me to realise that something was fundamentally wrong with our way of using the glass electrode sensor. These are very reliable and industrially proven over a number of decades in very tough environments so why did they fail ? It was because we did not control orientation. These sensors have air trapped inside them and when inverted the air seeps out through the reference junction and rumen liquor seeps in. By reshaping the bolus so that the sensor tip tends to point downward we completely avoid this problem and our pH sensors stay within 0.3 pH units for 90 days. We also found a way to extend battery life by using a temperature sensor as an interlock for radio transmission. The bolus only operates when the temperature is above 30C which is when it is being calibrated on the bench or inside a cow. We patented these ideas in Patent Application GB0719740.3 in 2007.
We also have developed a system for measuring lameness in dairy cows based on RFID eartags, details of which will be published soon.
