Don't let heat stress steal your profits and jeopardize herd health. smaXtec identifies the earliest internal changes before visible symptoms appear so you can act fast and protect your herd when it matters most.
smaXtec measuresheat stress on 3 levels
-
smaXtec Bolus
The smaXtec bolus continuously measures important health parameters in the reticulum, such as internal body temperature (±0.018°F), and thus recognizes the physiological effects of heat stress at an early stage.
-
Climate Sensor
The Climate Sensor measures external factors of the barn climate that promote heat stress, such as ambient temperature, humidity and atmospheric pressure in the barn. The THI (temperature-humidity index) is calculated automatically.
-
Group Temperature Metric
The system also uses the group temperature metric to detect changes at the group level, enabling even more targeted intervention.
Heat stress among cows:When temperature and humidity collide
Cows react sensitively to rising temperatures and humidity but the point at which heat stress occurs depends on the combination of various factors. In fact, heat stress can occur at moderate temperatures, especially if the humidity is high – with major consequences on health and milk yield (2).
Detect heat stress with precise data from the inside
The smaXtec Bolus measures internal body temperature (±0.018°F), water intake and drinking frequency, rumination and activity of each individual cow. All these parameters are continuously monitored and enable early detection of heat stress. The system reliably detects heat stress symptoms such as:
-
Increased body temperature -
Increased water intake
-
Reduced rumination
-
Increased activity
Keep an eye on the barn climate withthe Climate Sensor
The smaXtec Climate Sensor SX.2.1 measures ambient temperature, humidity and atmospheric pressure in the barn and automatically calculates the THI (Temperature Humidity Index) from the data. The THI is an indicator of heat stress and is calculated from the ambient temperature and relative humidity factors. At values above 72, heat stress begins for the cows (2).
smaXtec’s THI Benchmarks:
THI ≥ 72: initial heat stress
THI ≥ 78: significant heat exposure
THI ≥ 82: severe heat stress
At a humidity of 70%, common in moderate climates, mild heat stress begins for cows at an air temperature of 72°F, and performance losses can be expected from 75°F (2).
smaXtec provides key data to take immediate action if the THI increases. This readily available information helps optimize the use of cooling methods, like fans and sprinkler systems, in a targeted and energy-efficient manner.
The example shows the rising THI (green curve) and several heat stress alarms that the farmer received from smaXtec.
smaXtec TruDrinking™
Know how much every cow drinks
Using the artificial-intelligence-supported TruDrinking™ application, smaXtec is the only system that provides reliable information about the amount of water consumed and the drinking cycles of each individual cow. On hot days, it is crucial to monitor water intake to detect heat stress early and respond quickly.
Stay ahead of heat stress with smaXtec!
Only smaXtec continuously and precisely measures all the important internal and external factors for detecting heat stress, giving you the opportunity to recognize the problem at an early stage and react accordingly.
Sources:
1) STÖBER, M., 2002: Hitzschlag/exogene Hyperthermie, in: Dirksen, G., Gründer H.D und Stöber M. (Hrsg.): Innere Chirurgie und Medizin des Rindes, Parey Verlag Berlin, Wien, 1163-1165
(2) https://www.journalofdairyscience.org/article/S0022-0302(08)71054-3/fulltext
(3) https://raumberg-gumpenstein.at/jdownloads/Tagungen/Nutztierschutztagung/Nutztierschutztagung_2014/3n_2014_gasteiner.pdf
(4) https://www.journalofdairyscience.org/article/S0022-0302(19)30357-1/fulltext
(5) https://raumberg-gumpenstein.at/forschung/forschung-aktuelles/hitzestress-in-der-rinderhaltung.html