Determination of methane emitted by ruminants

An apparatus for measuring gas emissions from ruminant animals, the apparatus comprising:

• at least one electronic bolus adapted to be internally resident in an animal and to emit sensed data wirelessly, each bolus comprising a housing containing a power supply, at least one sensor including an accelerometer, a sensor drive and data capture circuit, and a wireless signal interface for transmitting the sensing data and an animal unique identifier,
• a gateway configured to receive the sensing data, and
• a host processor to process the sensed data to generate emissions data,
• wherein the sensed data includes extent of activity provided by the accelerometer as movement of the bolus within an animal, and the host processor is configured to use said activity data to identify eructations and to generate an estimate of total gas emitted over a period of time for an individual animal according to a count of the detected eructations and characteristics of an animal to estimate the emission rates, and
• wherein the host processor is configured to:
• monitor, according to accelerometer-originating sensed data, animal body activity to determine in real time monitoring periods in which it monitors with increased sensitivity contractions in an animal's rumen, and to monitor rumination primary and secondary contractions during said monitoring periods, and to identify a secondary contraction as representative of an eructation.

A method performed by an apparatus for estimating gas emissions of a ruminant animal,

• the apparatus comprising:
• at least one electronic bolus adapted to be internally resident in an animal and to emit sensed data wirelessly, each bolus comprising a housing containing a power supply, at least one sensor including an accelerometer, a sensor drive and data capture circuit, and a wireless signal interface for transmitting the sensing data and an animal unique identifier,
• a gateway configured to receive the sensing data, and
• a host processor to process the sensed data to generate emissions data,
• wherein the sensed data includes extent of activity provided by the accelerometer as movement of the bolus within an animal, and the host processor is configured to use said activity data to identify eructations and to generate an estimate of total gas emitted over a period of time for an individual animal according to a count of the detected eructations and characteristics of an animal to estimate the emission rates;
• wherein the method comprising the host processor processing sensing signals from a bolus in the animal to determine activity data according to movement of the bolus, and using said activity data to identify eructations, and generating an estimate of total gas emitted over a period of time for an individual animal according to a count of the detected eructations and characteristics of an animal, and
• wherein the host processor monitors, according to accelerometer signals, animal body activity to determine in real time monitoring periods in which it monitors with increased sensitivity contractions in an animal's rumen, and monitors rumination primary and secondary contractions during said monitoring periods, and identifies a secondary contraction as representative of an eructation.

A method performed by an apparatus for estimating gas emissions of a ruminant animal,

• the apparatus comprising:
• at least one electronic bolus adapted to be internally resident in an animal and to emit sensed data wirelessly, each bolus comprising a housing containing a power supply, at least one sensor including an accelerometer, a sensor drive and data capture circuit, and a wireless signal interface for transmitting the sensing data and an animal unique identifier,
• a gateway configured to receive the sensing data, and
• a host processor to process the sensed data to generate emissions data,
• wherein the sensed data includes extent of activity provided by the accelerometer as movement of the bolus within an animal, and the host processor is configured to use said activity data to identify eructations and to generate an estimate of total gas emitted over a period of time for an individual animal according to a count of the detected eructations and characteristics of an animal to estimate the emission rates;
• wherein the method comprising the host processor processing sensing signals from a bolus in the animal to determine activity data according to movement of the bolus, and using said activity data to identify eructations, and generating an estimate of total gas emitted over a period of time for an individual animal according to a count of the detected eructations and characteristics of an animal, and
• wherein the processor determines a monitoring period as a period when body activity is below a threshold and rumination is taking place, identifies body activity primarily according to linear acceleration and/or rotation of the accelerometer, and identifies rumination according to a pattern of body activity, drinking behaviour, and a condition that rumination follows immediately after feeding.