Welcome back to the American Cattlemen Podcast. Just ahead, we have Gale McKinney, he's the owner of American Cattlemen Media, and he sits down with Austin Woltemath with Merck Animal Health. 

Merck Animal Health’s SenseHub technology supports both cow-calf and feedlot operations through continuous, data-driven monitoring. SenseHub is an overarching livestock monitoring platform built around wearable devices that function like a smartwatch or Fitbit for cattle. These tags collect biometric and behavioral data, establish baselines for “normal,” and flag outlier activity so producers can make earlier and more accurate management decisions.

On the cow-calf side, SenseHub Cow Calf is positioned as a reproductive efficiency and labor-saving tool. The system is self-installed by the producer and relies on pairing a monitoring ear tag and an electronic ID to each animal via computer or mobile app. Once online, it provides 24/7 monitoring for activity patterns associated with heat and estrus. This allows artificial insemination and embryo transfer programs to pinpoint optimal breeding windows, increase the percentage of females settled in the first 21-day cycle, and track cyclicity in heifer development. The technology also acts as an ongoing heat-checking tool after breeding, helping identify animals that may have come back into heat. A light on the tag simplifies locating specific animals, making the system especially valuable for producers juggling off-farm jobs or limited hired help.

For feedlots, SenseHub Feedlot uses an ear tag that measures inner ear temperature and activity to identify cattle that may be in the early stages of disease, often one to three days before visual signs emerge. Rather than diagnosing conditions, the system flags animals that deviate from their normal behavior and generates actionable pull lists. This supports earlier intervention, improved treatment outcomes, and reduced mortality. Unlike the cow-calf system, the feedlot platform requires a four- to six-week installation handled by Merck’s technical team, followed by onboarding support from a customer success group. Across both segments, Woltemath emphasizes that SenseHub does not replace people but enables operations to do more with less skilled labor, enhancing accuracy, timeliness, and overall herd health and productivity.

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