Healthy cows are happy cows that produce more milk. But in some cowsheds heat or high air humidity prevent milk cows enjoying feelings of happiness. So at Bavaria's state Agricultural Institute the lying behaviour of cows in the shed was recorded with ultrasonic sensors as a measure of creature comfort.

Lying behaviour, and the frequenting of particular lying stalls in the pen, provide important information on the wellbeing of milk cows. But when does the cow feel really good? When does the shed need airing? When are which window areas to be shaded? What is the relationship between the shed climate and the weather outside? All questions to which the cows provide direct answers - with their lying behaviour. Those who know the conditions affecting this application also know that the sensors' extremely precise temperature compensation is of great significance - for it is only in this way that the lying behaviour can be accurately determined in the heavily fluctuating temperatures in the cowshed.

Adjusted to the cow's skin ...
... the ultrasonic sensors from SICK are installed above the lying stalls. They were taught-in on two distances by staff at the Institute for Agricultural Engineering, Construction and Environmental Technology at Bavaria's Agricultural Institute. In this way it is possible to determine whether a cow is standing, lying, or whether the pen is empty and the animal feels better elsewhere. Now the scientists only need to compare the collected weather and stall climate data with the lying behaviour and it becomes clear when the cows feel best, and how this comfortable climate is to be achieved.
If they succeed in offering cows an optimum stall climate on the basis of their lying behaviour there will soon be ultrasonics in every cowshed.