Electrocardiographic pill for cattle heart rate determination

Decreased agricultural profit margins and recent bioterrorism concerns have led to an increased interest in monitoring livestock health. Heart rate and core body temperature are traditional vital parameters for cattle health assessment, as they provide warnings for illness and disease. However, obtaining these data in the field is time and labor intensive, which speaks to the need for solutions that provide continuous and automatic acquisition of these parameters. This paper presents the design of a pill that can remain in an animal's reticulum and use electrocardiographic techniques to ascertain heart rate. The wired prototype has been tested with a fistulated steer. These tests demonstrate that consistent heart vector data can be acquired even in the presence of animal movement and rumination. After minor processing, these signals are suitable for use with peak detection circuitry that can automate heart rate determination.