The San Luis Obispo Tribune reports a dairy science student at Cal Poly has used a device to monitor a cow’s health and increase pregnancy rates.

Trevor Nutcher, 21, completed his dairy science senior project which his professor says is one of the most impactful in recent years. Nutcher attached a monitoring device to 100 cows at the university and determined when the cows are in heat based on its chewing, bellowing and movement.

Pregnancy rates improved from 14 percent to 22.5 percent during the first five months of the project. Nutcher says the monitoring devices will allow the cows to achieve and 25 percent pregnancy rate.

By using monitoring devices instead of consistently checking on cows dairy producers save time and are more likely to time the ideal window for breeding. The monitoring devices can also determine when the cows are sick by recording chewing habits.

The school will continue to use the monitoring devices after Nutcher graduates. Each device costs about $100.

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Source: The San Luis Obispo Tribune