smaXtec Software

Event details

Events generated on a daily basis:

If an event has occurred that triggers a day-based event, this is created in the system at 24:00 each time. Depending on the readout, the exact time may also differ, as the data for the respective time period must be transferred to the server first. The day-based events include alerts on the drinking cycles and pH alerts.

Events that are generated sample-based:

These events are created as soon as an event occurs that triggers an alert (or as soon as the data for that time period is received by the server). These include alerts such as the drop in rumination activity, temperature alerts, oestrus and calving alerts, movement activity alerts, and Climate Sensor alerts.

Climate Sensor events:

Climate Sensor alerts are also sample-based, with each alert type generated only 1x per day (i.e., a maximum of one alert each for mild, moderate, and severe heat stress).

Rumination events:

Sample-based:

o Decrease in rumination: If the rumination drops significantly, an alert is generated.

Temperature events:

Daily:

o Number of drinking cycles: The system detects how many times the animal has been drinking throughout the day. If the number is dangerously low, an alert is generated.

o Deviation in drinking cycles: If the number of drinking cycles differs significantly from the number on the previous day, the system also generates an alert.

Sample-based:

o Temperature increase: If the temperature of the animal increases significantly, this alert is generated.

o Calving: Calving detection starts 14 days before the expected calving date and ends with the calving confirmation. If there is a significant decrease in temperature within this time, the system generates this alert. It is important that an expected calving date (positive pregnancy test) is set in the system.

o Temperature decrease: If a significant temperature decrease occurs outside the calving window mentioned above, this alert is generated.

pH Events:

Daily:

o pH amplitude: This value refers to the difference between the highest and lowest pH value of the respective day. As soon as a certain threshold value is exceeded, the system issues an alert. The threshold value itself depends on the pH daily average and can vary.

o Time under pH: 5.8: The system detects how many minutes per day the pH value in the rumen is below 5.8. If it falls below a certain threshold, an alert is generated.

o Deviation in average pH: This value indicates how much the pH average value of the day deviates from the average value of the previous day. If a certain threshold value is exceeded or not reached, an alert is generated. The threshold value itself depends on the pH daily average and can vary.

Activity Events:

Sample-based:

o Heat: Heat detection starts 20 days after calving and ends with pregnancy (positive pregnancy test). If a significant increase in activity is detected within this time, this alert is generated.

o Increased activity: If a significant increase in activity occurs outside of heat detection, an alert is generated.

o Reduced activity: If a significant drop in activity occurs, an alert is generated.

Climate Sensor Events:

Sample-based but only 1x per day for each alert:

o Mild heat stress: If smaXtec measures a temperature humidity index (THI*) ≥ 72, the system generates this alert.

o Medium heat stress: If smaXtec measures a THI ≥ 78, the system generates this alert

o Severe heat stress If smaXtec measures a THI ≥ 82, the system generates this alert.

*THI = (1.8 * Temperature + 32) – ((0.55 – 0.0055 * Humidity) * (1.8 * Temperature – 26))

You can share data with other users or request a data share from another user via Information > Data sharing. According to the requirements of each user, you can select a role for the optimal use of the software.

Here’s an overview of available roles and functions:

Function	Owner	Admin	Reproduction	Office
Create animal
Update animal information
Archive animals
Change animal tags
Change groups
Update groups
Update device information
Update calving information
Update estrus information
Update organizations
Share organizations

Additionally, a user can have “read-only”-status. This type of user can look up information but cannot make any modifications.

The insemination task list includes a visual insemination window enabling you to see the ideal insemination time at a glance. The insemination window comprises the following phases:

1. Earliest insemination: As long as the ideal insemination time isn’t available yet, a grey field with the earliest possible insemination time is displayed.
2. Start: As soon as the actual insemination window is available, a grey field with its starting time is displayed.

When the actual insemination window begins, the color of the field changes and information is shown as follows:

3. Green: During the green phase, insemination is recommended (start of insemination window until 6 hours after the start).
4. Yellow: During this phase, a successful insemination is already less probable. However, it could still be successful (6 to 10 hours after the beginning of the insemination window).
5. Red: We do not recommend inseminating cows during this phase (10 to 12 hours after the start of the insemination window).

In phases 3 to 5, an arrow indicates which phase you are currently in. For a better overview, phases that are already over change color.

The insemination window is no longer displayed after 36h in the dashboard. You can always access past insemination windows in the message list.

The heat index is an additional value that can be displayed as a curve in cow diagrams. It takes into account all information smaXtec has about the heat of an animal and gives you a better insight into the length and extent of a heat.

You can access the heat index in the smaXtec App and the smaXtec Messenger by adjusting the parameters to be displayed.

The calving indicator is a separate line in the individual animal chart that shows the probability of calving and becomes more and more sensitive until the expected calving date. It is displayed from 14 days before the expected calving date and ends when calving is confirmed in the system.

The calving indicator makes it visible and comprehensible when a calving message is sent. By observing the calving index, you can monitor animals with a visible increase more closely even before the calving notification is sent.

You can access the corresponding diagrams both in the App and in Messenger under the menu item Groups. Due to the narrower scale (36 – 44° Celsius) and excluding the drinking cycles, even small temperature fluctuations are visible for you.

To use the group metrics, it is particularly important that each animal is assigned to a group and that these correspond to the actual groups in the barn. Furthermore, at least 70% of the animals in the group must be read out to calculate the group metric.