What is the TekVet Health Monitoring System™?

The TekVet Health Monitoring System can immediately identify a rise in temperature that is associated with many common illnesses, allowing the livestock operator to perform early, and more successful, treatment. The earlier an illness is treated, the more effective the treatment will be, thereby reducing livestock loss.

A major indication of an animal’s well being is its core body temperature. Many of the livestock illnesses that cause cattle loss are initially indicated by a fever in the animal. Even before an animal shows the normal visual signs of illness, such as excessive nose discharge, drooping head, lack of appetite, coughing, and wheezing, the fever is most likely already well established.

Our research indicates that about 48 hours before the major visual signs appear, the core temperature has already increased significantly.

A significant component of the TekVet Health Monitoring System is a small electronic tag, called the TekSensor, that permanently attaches to the ear in a manner similar to any other dangle ear tag.

However, unlike every other ear tag, this device consists of a small thermistor (or electronic thermometer) that fits just inside the animal’s ear canal, adjacent to the tympanic membrane. The TekSensor ear tag measures the external ear canal temperature which is an excellent indication of core body temperature as previous research from Kentucky has proven.  

Another part of the TekSensor tag is a very small radio transmitter that communicates information to solar-power receivers strategically placed throughout a livestock facility. These receivers are connected to our network where temperature readings are collected approximately every hour, 24 hours a day.

The real-time data from these readings is immediately made available to you through the TekAccess software that is available via an internet url address provided to you. The TekAccess software is both easy to use and very powerful, allowing you to monitor the health and identification of each animal in your herd quickly and conveniently.