HistoryTo achieve the many efficiencies RFID technology can bring requires more than RFID tags and readers - a company must build an IT infrastructure capable of using real time RFID data to make real-time decisions.
GrowSafe development has focused on automation enabling real-time and predictive management.
Research and Development History
In the early 1990's GrowSafe developed monitoring equipment that could read multiple low frequency passive transponders in close proximity. We further designed our systems to automatically ensure that an animal was positioned in an optimal reading range without human intervention.
1990 GrowSafe Ostrich Installation
To detect the presence of multiple articles using RFID techniques is not simple. The central issue is that there is only one communication channel between the transponders and the reader. More than one transponder transmitting at the same time causes a confused message to be received by the reader.
There are no other manufacturers in this market with the ability to continuously monitor animals in close proximity.
1996 GrowSafe Model 2000 Research Feedlot Installation
Prior to 1999 a GrowSafe system used a transponder number to identify individual animals visiting a feedbunk, and the frequency and duration of these visits. The data acquired by these systems has challenged some long held scientific wisdom about animal feeding behavior. More than 120 scientific publications have been produced using GrowSafe research technology.
By 1999, we had developed enhanced research systems (Model 4000) to accurately measure feed intake, animal weight and behavior of individual animals housed in typical production environments.
A GrowSafe Model 4000 integrates data from up to 256 external devices and environmental and biological sensors including temperature, thermal imaging, ultrasound, automatic medication systems, and flow meters.
GrowSafe provides a research framework to integrate data including genomic, proteomic, physiologic, and environmental in the context of a disease, with a focus on understanding and determining clinical responses to potential treatment.
Researchers using GrowSafe technology have found that differences may exist between efficient and inefficient animals in actual feed intake, rate of gain in backfat, backfat thickness and feeding duration independent of growth rate and body size.
2002 GrowSafe Model 4000 Feed Intake and Behavior Monitoring Installation
GrowSafe has gained unique knowledge from its early system development. This insight has enabled the development of leading edge commercial identification and measurement devices that fully automate livestock production activities.
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