Preventive instead of reactive: Why veterinarians rely on smaXtec
How can the continuous measurement of health data give veterinarians greater confidence in diagnosis, therapy and herd management? DVM Kerstin Duncker explains why smaXtec is setting new standards in evidence-based livestock practice.
Veterinarians face daily pressure: limited time, high responsibility, and increasing demands regarding animal health, documentation, and administrative work. smaXtec is a digital system that specifically supports veterinarians in making precise diagnoses and delivering more targeted therapies. In this interview, DVM Kerstin Duncker, veterinarian and member of the product development team at smaXtec, discusses the professional value of data-based health monitoring and why evidence is indispensable in modern livestock practice.
What is, in your view, the greatest professional benefit of smaXtec?
“The earliest possible detection of diseases, without a doubt. It allows us to identify many deviations from a healthy state already at the first immune response. Whether we look at an individual animal or the herd level: no other system is as close to the animal.”
Which parameters does smaXtec measure specifically, and why is internal body temperature so crucial for veterinary work?
“The smaXtec system continuously measures the cow’s internal body temperature, combined with additional parameters such as water intake and rumination activity – and it does so extremely precisely and continuously. Internal body temperature is our key parameter, and it is the key to early disease detection. Even slight deviations can indicate infections long before clinical symptoms become visible. Combined with water intake and rumination activity, it provides a comprehensive picture of the animal’s health.”
Why is water intake particularly interesting for veterinarians?
“Water intake is closely linked to feed intake and metabolic health. In freshly calved cows or during periods of stress, we often see fluctuations in drinking behaviour before the animal shows any clinical changes. That is what makes smaXtec so valuable for early detection, also at group level. Sometimes it is sufficient for the farmer to change the routine to cleaning the drinking troughs daily or to check and adjust the water flow rates – and suddenly everything is back within the normal range. So it is not just about therapy, but also about management.”
Does smaXtec also serve as a tool for veterinarians to identify improvement potential for farmers?
“Absolutely. I see smaXtec as a tool that enables veterinarians to communicate with farmers on an evidence-based basis. You can clearly say: ‘Something isn’t quite working here, and after this measure we can see an improvement.’ That is extremely helpful, especially in advisory work or herd health management. On larger farms, the veterinarian can use the data curves during herd visits to show exactly where problems occur, e.g. in which lactation phase or feeding group, and later demonstrate that they have been resolved. That builds trust and is far more effective than simply giving recommendations.
With smaXtec, the veterinarian moves from being a reactive emergency responder to a proactive health manager. And importantly, they have evidence-based data in hand to support their recommendations, whether related to feeding, hygiene, or the choice of medication. This creates a new quality of collaboration with the farm.”
How does the system specifically contribute to the early detection of diseases such as mastitis, and how does this change the course of therapy?
“With mastitis in particular, we often see fever spikes well before other symptoms appear. The advantage is that animals can be treated at the earliest possible stage, before a pronounced inflammation or loss in performance occurs.
The progression data also allow for objective evaluation of treatment success: how quickly does the fever drop after administering a particular antibiotic? Which pain medication works best on a given farm? This is highly farm-specific and strongly influenced by external factors.
With smaXtec, individual treatment concepts can be developed based on valid data rather than gut feeling. In practice, such feedback is often missing. With smaXtec, veterinarians have a tool that provides exactly this insight.”
What role does this play in the everyday work of veterinarians?
“Greater predictability. Less firefighting. Instead of reacting to symptoms, you can act in a targeted and preventive way. By analysing the progression of the data, I can make more informed decisions: which animals need to be examined? Which equipment should I bring to the farm? It saves time, reduces stress, and enables more successful treatments and better treatment monitoring.”
How can veterinarians use the insights from smaXtec without extensive technical knowledge?
“That is something we take very seriously. You do not need any specialised knowledge. The farmer can simply give the veterinarian access to the system via the app or the web portal. Veterinarians can then access their client’s animal health data from anywhere. That helps enormously with planning.”
Your conclusion: why is it worthwhile for veterinarians to engage with smaXtec?
“Because there is no other system that measures so reliably on a continuous basis, particularly when it comes to internal body temperature. smaXtec does not just deliver data; it delivers the most precise data on the market. Trust is built through scientifically sound evidence. smaXtec makes veterinary work more efficient, more precise, and more sustainable. And the veterinarian always remains at the centre: supported by digital tools, but never replaced.”
