Exploring Merck Animal Health's SenseHub Technology

The contents of this blog are derived from my interviews with Erica Tessmann, Senior Product and Brand Manager, Dairy Monitoring, and Dr. Jason Nickell, Director, Insights and Outcomes, both with Merck Animal Health.

Recently, we had the opportunity to speak with Dr. Jason Nickell and Erica Tessmann from Merck Animal Health about their innovative SenseHub technology designed for cow-calf operations, feedlots, and dairy farms. This cutting-edge technology aims to provide producers with valuable data to make informed decisions, ultimately improving productivity and animal welfare.

Understanding SenseHub Technology

SenseHub technology is inspired by practices in row crop farming, utilizing wearable technology to generate detailed information about individual animals. This data is crucial for producers at the cow-calf, feedlot, and dairy levels, enabling better decision-making and enhancing overall farm management.

Applications in Cow-Calf Operations

In cow-calf operations, SenseHub technology helps identify females in heat by monitoring animals 24/7. This continuous monitoring allows producers to detect estrus more efficiently, which is particularly beneficial for those using artificial insemination or embryo transfer methods. By reducing labor and increasing reproductive outcomes, this technology can significantly enhance the efficiency of breeding programs.

Early Disease Detection in Feedlots

For feedlots, the primary focus of SenseHub technology is early disease detection, especially for bovine respiratory disease (BRD). By identifying sick animals at an earlier stage, the system allows for timely and accurate treatment, potentially leading to better outcomes compared to traditional human observation alone.

Enhancing Dairy Operations

Erica Tessman highlighted the impact of SenseHub technology on dairy operations. SenseHub Dairy acts like a person monitoring every single animal in the herd 24/7. This continuous oversight allows cows to be cows, reducing the need for constant human intervention and enabling them to focus on essential activities like dry matter intake, rumination, and milk production.

The technology takes the guesswork out of identifying animals that need attention. Whether detecting heat, early symptoms of sickness, or management needs such as moving cows to different pens, SenseHub Dairy makes these processes more efficient. By monitoring nine critical behaviors, including activity levels, rumination, and eating time, it identifies abnormalities that signal when an animal needs checking.

The Wearable Technology

SenseHub technology is implemented through ear tags that capture various data types, such as activity levels and, in the feedlot setting, body temperature. Although the ear tags may look slightly different between cow-calf, feedlot, and dairy applications, they operate on the same principle: collecting and transmitting data to a centralized database for analysis.

User-Friendly Interface

The user interface for SenseHub technology is designed to be simple and practical. At the cow-calf level, real-time alerts notify producers when a female is in estrus, enabling timely breeding decisions. In feedlots, users receive a daily list of animals identified as "different" based on their historical data and pen mates, indicating which animals need closer inspection. In dairy operations, the system highlights animals that deviate from normal behavior, ensuring they receive timely attention.

Getting Involved with SenseHub

Producers interested in SenseHub technology can start by contacting their Merck Animal Health representative. The Merck team is knowledgeable about the entire dairy portfolio, including technology, biopharma, and identification solutions. Any Merck representative can provide valuable information and assistance in implementing SenseHub on your farm.

Listen to the Full Interview with Erica Tessmann (Dairy) Here: https://youtu.be/Iqh7qVLWf1k

Listen to the Full Interview with Dr. Jason Nickell (Cow-Calf/Feedlot) Here:https://youtu.be/j34Q2nQEBiI