Why new tags could have saved heartache in missing bull

When Texas Powerplay went missing this year, a “useful” ear tag could have led searchers to the $108,000 bull.

The irony of the launch site for new real time animal tracking technology was not lost on those at Kelly Angus at Yea.

Patrick Joyce, who manages the Kelly Angus herd, was the one who set the nation into a frenzy this year when the operation’s $108,000 bull Texas Powerplay went missing.

Kelly Angus had been working with the developers Smart Paddock over the smart ear tags which offer the ability to track an animal’s exact position.

“It did cross my mind at the time, when we had helicopters out looking for Powerplay, that this kind of technology would have been very useful,” Mr Joyce said.

“Basically, it would have sent out a ping like that from a mobile phone.”

Texas Powerplay P626 sold for $108,000 to Kelly Angus but then went missing. But a new type of ear tag could have made the search for the bull a lot easier.

But it was not security which lead the operation to agree to trial the tags, more the ability to provide additional information for management which attracted their attention.

Smart Paddock’s “Bluebell tag” is a reusable digital ear tag for livestock that is battery-free. It allows farmers to GPS track their livestock in real-time on their mobile phone or computer, and can be set up to get text alerts for stray or stolen animals.

The information from the tracking can allow producers to review pasture usage maps, monitor the activity level of key animals and see how far their animals are walking each day to access food or water.

Kelly Angus will collect and then use information provided by the tags on things like grazing, feed efficiency and even animal health to fine tune the operation.

“We can even get the temperature of an animal, or see if it is out by itself, which often suggests there is a problem with it,” Mr Joyce said.

“If we can capture the data, we can change our practises.”

The technology has been backed by Breakthrough Victoria, an investment company established by the Victorian Government, with a $500,000 grant.

Smart Paddock chief executive officer Darren Wolchyn said the company could further develop this product to give farmers “even more advanced data to inform their decision making, increase productivity and the health of their livestock”.