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Cows Identified by Retinal Imaging

Posted by michael on from the don't-blink dept.

wackoman2112 writes "According to this article, ranchers on western cattle ranches are keeping track of their cattle with the "OptiReader," a small handheld which takes retinal scans. They scan a cow's eye and record information in the database about the animal's color, weight, and genetic linage. Hmmm... This could be justification for a YRO for animals."

4 of 57 comments (clear)

  1. cowbells by trompete · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I guess that will be the end of the cowbells.
    Cowbells are pretty cool though. I spent some time in the Austrian Alps and met some farmers who could tell me which cow was nearby by the pitch of the bell.
    I suppose the next thing to come along will be RFID tags for cows.

    --
    More than enough BS
  2. Just out of curiosity... by $exyNerdie · · Score: 2, Interesting


    Just out of curiosity.... do the retinal images of cows never change just the way human finger prints don't change from childhood to death ??

  3. cross pollination by faldore · · Score: 2, Interesting

    One of many examples of the ways different areas of science can be useful to real people when you mix them. Here we have forensics + computer science + farming = innovation. Why can't more people think like this?

  4. Farmers don't care about intrusive procedures by DrSkwid · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I've worked on farms and the last thing farmers seem to care about is the short term pain (and long term in some cases) of their prisoners.

    Branding
    Ear tags
    De-beaking
    Artificial insemination
    Murder

    A was in a shed when a shearer cut off the nipple of one of the sheep. His reaction - pissed off because he had to stop shearing to "take care" of the poor animal. First he applied anaesthetic (well, he hit it on the forehead until it stopped struggling) and then kind of sewed up the hole and pushed it down the ramp into the outside pen.

    The fields are full of cows, ever wonder where all the bulls are?

    The fields are full of sheep, ever wonder where the rams are?

    Where are the chickens? Oh there's thousands of them crammed into that little shed, three to cage and they have to have their beaks cut off to stop them killing each other.

    The trouble with country folk is they've lost touch with nature.

    --
    There are places where the networks are not touching,and there are places where they are-Boeing's Lori Gunter