Reading distance is one drawback. The ear tags have to be within 100 metres of the router to maintain continuous data flow. However, when cattle are farther away, the tags save data for up to 48 hours and transmit it the next time the animal is within reach of the router.

The SensOor tags perform three functions and each requires its own software module to collect and summarize data. The system was originally developed for use with the fertility software module to detect heat in dairy cattle.

The CowManager SensOor system has to be ordered directly from the manufacturer. As of August, a starter kit including one tag, the health module and co-ordinator for a computer was priced at CAN$109 per tag for up to 100 tags. There is a volume discount in 100-tag increments that drops the price down to $80 per tag for more than 5,000 tags. The router costs $731. The system, including the reusable SensOor tags, has an expected 10-year lifetime and five-year manufacturer’s warranty.