Live data from Hacker News

A smart collar for cows

thehustle.co

41–50 of 78 posts

Re: A smart collar for cows

#41
post #26

in switzerland we call that a bell. coupled with extremely sensitive sensors we call ears, farmers can find a lost cow far away in the mountain. bonus point: tourists love those so much you can buy smaller models at the airport.

For what it's worth, I've heard claims/studies that cowbells are loud and constant enough to affect cows' eating patterns and cause deafness.

Re: A smart collar for cows

#42
post #21

> Virtual fences keep the cows in designated areas, While the idea of vibrating collars to steer cattle makes me uneasy (what comes next?), I am somewhat hopeful this can address the issue of barbed wire fences. Interestingly, the idea of remotely controlling cattle was discussed several years ago in an article outlining the the issues with fences: https://prairieecologist.com/2015/03/17/hubbard-fellowship-b...

What's wrong with barbed wire fences?

Re: A smart collar for cows

#43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

there is no way a vibrating collar will stop a cow in doing what they want to do. Cows are herd animal meaning they fight to establish rank. There is no way 2 cows close to a fence can be stopped from breaching the fence, no matter if it's barbed wire or if the fence carries 20K Volts. They will walk right through it - or better push each other right through it during a fight. Not even an electric shock would stop th…

I can confirm, numerous times I've seen cows grazing or even running with barbed wire and fence posts dragging behind them. When they've decided they want to do something, it's pretty hard to stop them.

I don’t think the point of the collar is to stop a cow going somewhere stupid, but rather to influence them to move to feeding areas and milking stations.

If a cow automatically moves to the right area then they don’t have to be herded. This reduces time. Some cows will likely need encouragement but it sounds like this reduces not only time, but stress on the livestock.

Fences are still likely needed.

Re: A smart collar for cows

#45
post #26

in switzerland we call that a bell. coupled with extremely sensitive sensors we call ears, farmers can find a lost cow far away in the mountain. bonus point: tourists love those so much you can buy smaller models at the airport.

Do you have a bell that can be heard over 5,850,000 acres? Because I’d like to buy one for Anna Creek station in South Australia.

Though it may well also be that you have an extraordinarily freakish range of hearing.

Re: A smart collar for cows

#48
post #21

> Virtual fences keep the cows in designated areas, While the idea of vibrating collars to steer cattle makes me uneasy (what comes next?), I am somewhat hopeful this can address the issue of barbed wire fences. Interestingly, the idea of remotely controlling cattle was discussed several years ago in an article outlining the the issues with fences: https://prairieecologist.com/2015/03/17/hubbard-fellowship-b...

What's wrong with barbed wire fences?

Expensive to maintain and injure stock.

Re: A smart collar for cows

#49
post #17

In Massachusetts this is also used on humans: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judge_Rotenberg_Educational_Ce...

JRC looks like a small concentration camp with powerful supporters. Employees don't have it easy there too:

"Employees are encouraged to file anonymous reports against each other, and are forbidden from making casual conversation."

And this is the icing on the cake:

"As of 2014, nearly 90% of the center's residents were from New York City, and about 90% of the residents were racial minorities."

Re: A smart collar for cows

#50
Almarai, probably still the largest milk producer in the world with its main production facilities in Saudi Arabia, simply turned off the air conditioning in the right place at the right time, and the cattle herded freely to where it wanted to. Coincidentally, exactly where the herders also wanted them to go.

Impressive.

Cows are just like any other people.

So for cow logistics rising global temperatures may come in handy! Of course, in the long run you may have to tinker a bit with the heat resistance of these organisms.

https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/The-Effect-of-Evaporat...

Nah, just kidding...

Sweet dreams.

Post reply on HN