A device sits at calf height, tracking temperature, humidity, and air quality. It sends warnings to prevent pneumonia and protect the herd before symptoms appear.
Pneumonia is one of the biggest challenges in the dairy industry. It can cause long-term lung damage in calves and reduce their productivity over a lifetime. Waiting until a calf shows a high temperature isn’t enough. You need to act before the disease takes hold.
Isaac Orr and Clyne Albertelli in Cumbria have developed Pneumonitor to address these problems. The in-pen device collects real-time data on the conditions calves experience. It measures temperature, humidity, pressure, gusts, and volatile organic compounds, sitting right at calf height where conditions can change dramatically even just a meter away. When conditions become risky, it sends alerts straight to smartphones, allowing farmers and vets to step in early, protect calves, and safeguard yields.
The Digital Dairy Chain system also allows vets to monitor devices across multiple farms, review live and historical data, and work with farmers to reduce health risks and improve calf care. With tools like Pneumonitor and a connected Digital Dairy Chain, farmers and vets can catch problems early, keep calves healthier, and make farms run smarter.
Farmers, veterinary professionals, and dairy businesses can all benefit from Pneumonitor. Farmers gain timely insights to protect their calves, vets can monitor multiple farms and provide proactive care, and dairy businesses can maintain herd health while safeguarding productivity and profits.
Pneumonitor has been refined into a full-scale commercial product after early prototype testing, with support from the Digital Dairy Chain Innovation Voucher Scheme. This scheme is part of the £21 million Digital Dairy Chain initiative, led by SRUC and backed by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). The initiative brings together research, industry, and innovation to help the UK dairy sector grow sustainably and boost productivity.
