On a farm in Saskatchewan a Hutterite farmer has eliminated the need to get up for 3:00 am milkings by employing a little technology. Each cow in the herd now wears a chip that communicates with a central computer system. When a cow enters a stall the system recognizes whether it is due for a milking or ready for feed based on a historical profile that is stored for each animal. Not only does it tend to the animals needs but "It can take a sample of the milk and actually do a cell test," according to Phil Bourke, a veterinarian familiar with the system. "So it can pick up blood or abnormal colour in the milk. And if it is there it can divert the milk to a waste system." I love this story! This is the stuff that technology is meant to solve... Sympatico / CBC story here.
