Afimilk, Ltd. has integrated a new Calving Alert service with a prolonged calving application into its AfiAct II cow monitoring system, offering dairy farmers the ability to instantly identify and quickly assist cows experiencing difficult labor.

“The new Calving Alert Service will help dairy farmers more accurately detect the onset of calving, and be better prepared for potentially costly events like dystocia,” said Dr. Alon Arazi, DVM, a senior member of the Afimilk research team.

Difficult labor is associated with increased calf mortality and morbidity, and studies have shown that up to half of first-calf Holstein cows in the U.S. require human intervention during labor.

AfiAct II is programmed to issue notifications specifically for prolonged labor and wirelessly sends alerts from a leg-mounted sensor to a smartphone when calving begins, and again if calving is prolonged.

AfiAct II is also able detect other conditions, including estrus, abortion, cow comfort problems and illness based on activity and resting behavior.

Both the AfiAct II and Silent Herdsman, another monitoring system offered by Afimilk, will be on display at the SPACE International Livestock Trade Fair in Rennes, France, September 13-16, and at World Dairy Expo in Madison Wisconsin, October 4-8, 2016.