HerdWhistle can collect billions of monthly feeding and drinking events from feedlot cattle. No other system has been able to collect this sheer amount of data on individual feeding and drinking behaviour in the feedlot. The system is the first of its kind for this type of big data in the industry.
Big data is essentially any data that is so large, fast, or complex that it is impossible to process with traditional methods. It can be collected from a variety of different sources, like sensors, equipment, or transactions in a business. There are millions, or billions, of data points all collected for analysis. The mass volumes of data are rapidly analyzed to provide insights or automations that improve efficiency, solve problems, and boost profitability.
HerdWhistle is big data. Feedlots have never seen data like this before. Other systems are capable of monitoring a few animals at a time, but HerdWhistle tracks every animal on the feedlot 24/7. Whether that be a 15,000 head or 50,000 head, it doesn’t matter. Every time a steer eats or drinks, HerdWhistle captures the event. Feedlot operators no longer have to focus on just the herd level insights. They now can tap into insights at the individual animal level.
HerdWhistle’s method of big data collection comes from RFID sensors inside the feed bunks and above the water troughs. These sensors detect the animal’s unique RFID ear tag every time they eat or drink. Given each animal eats a multitude of times per day, and a large feedlot can have 20,000 head, the magnitude of data is colossal.
But collecting big data is only half the solution. Data is useless to the feedlot operator without some sort of analysis. HerdWhistle uses artificial intelligence to rapidly analyze all of the unique feeding and drinking events. These two data points alone unlock endless analysis possibilities. The system can track disruptions to the animal’s typical feeding patterns, an early sign of illness, injury, and distress. It can also detect animals who are overfeeding, underfeeding, or are more efficient than their peers. It even helps feedlot operators keep track of the movements of each animal throughout different pens and ensure each pen is stocked to its optimal density.
HerdWhistle is the first of its kind in the feedlot sector. It is an essential tool for feedlots of the future, helping them to improve animal well being, efficiency, and traceability across their operations. It is part of the Precision Livestock Monitoring movement that is spreading fast through the entire beef industry.
