Milk-fed Calves
- Applications
- Poultry
- Pigs
- Milk-fed Calves
- Dairy Cows
- Salad crops and soft fruit
Automated breath analysis for earlier detection of Bovine Respiratory Disease
Bovine Respiratory Disease, or BRD, is one of the most costly health challenges in calf rearing, affecting welfare, growth rates, antibiotic use and long-term productivity. Because respiratory disease can begin developing before outward clinical signs are obvious, earlier detection remains a major challenge for dairy and beef producers.
RoboScientific is developing an automated, non-invasive breath analysis system designed to identify early changes associated with BRD in calves. The system is being designed to integrate with robotic milk feeders, collecting a calf’s breath as it feeds and analysing volatile organic compounds linked to changes in respiratory health.
Using proprietary sensor technology and machine-learning analysis, the system interprets breath profiles and can generate alerts when early changes linked to disease risk are detected. This could support faster intervention, more targeted treatment and improved calf welfare.
The calf system forms part of RoboScientific’s wider livestock health intelligence platform, applying VOC-based disease detection across practical farm environments.
Automatic non-invasive breath testing
The system is designed to integrate directly with robotic milk feeders, allowing breath samples to be collected automatically while each calf feeds. This creates a practical, non-invasive route to regular health monitoring without adding handling stress or disrupting normal farm routines.
As the calf breathes during feeding, the system analyses volatile organic compounds associated with changes in respiratory health. Using RoboScientific’s proprietary sensor technology and machine-learning models, it interprets breath profiles and can issue automatic alerts when early changes linked to BRD risk are detected.
