Arming cows with “smartwatches” could prove to be an ideal way to make “smart farms” healthier, happier, and greener, according to a team of scientists from China.
In a new theoretical study, researchers from Southwest Jiaotong University in China proposed the idea of fitting cattle with “smartwatch-style sensors” that are powered by their own steps. They argue that this could help to gather data on the health, reproductivity, location, and environmental conditions of cattle, which in turn could help improve food safety and supply chain efficiency.
Since the sensors would be powered by the kinetic energy of the animals’ leg movements, they would also come at no extra environmental cost.
“On a ranch, monitoring environmental and health information of cattle can help prevent diseases and improve the efficiency of pasture breeding and management,” Zutao Zhang, study…
