The partnership will enable SSI to commercially produce the cattle health monitoring system by fall 2007, and will be administered by the Research and Evaluation Division of the RMA.

"We are thrilled the USDA has recognized the risk-mitigating benefits our system can provide the industry by helping reduce treatment costs and reduce the spread of infectious disease, thus significantly reducing the economic risks faced daily by cattle producers across the country," Steve Trost, SSI director of research and development, said. "Shipping fever alone is responsible for more than $1 billion in annual losses to the beef cattle industry. A commercially-viable, cost-effective solution has long been needed."

SSI's cattle health monitoring system involves the use of an ingestible electronic pill that resides permanently within each animal's stomach. The pill continuously monitors the animal's internal body temperature and periodically transmits the animal's health status to an external ear tag. The first-generation system provides an on-animal visual display of the animal's health status.

Source: agrimarketing.com