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TECHNOLOGY Ashland team among 'America's Greatest Makers' Innovator Melissa Brandao and others work on device that could revolutionize cattle ranching By John Darling For the Tidings DailyTidings.com By John Darling For the Tidings Posted Apr. 18, 2016 @ 12:01 am By John Darling For the Tidings Posted Apr. 18, 2016 @ 12:01 am » RELATED CONTENT • The buzz will be electric at second annual vehicle show • Smithsonian exhibit includes video about Rogue innovators » Social News p bs:newslist StartDate="20121121" EndDate="p bs:datecalc Months="3"" DateSort="1" UseObjects="1" ObjectClass="81" Taxonomywords="2324,665" ExactTaxonomyMatch="1" Image="1" Count="4" --> In a move that could revolutionize ranching, a group of Ashland inventors has developed a smart tag that attaches to the cows’ ear and reports their location, activity level, mating, food intake, body temperature — and eliminates the huge amount of work in checking up on them personally, one-by-one. The little device, called a HerdDogg data generator, is featured on a TV inventors’ show, “America’s Greatest Makers,” at 9 p.m. Tuesdays on TBS, with $1 million at stake if they are named the top invention. It can also be viewed at www.americasgreatestmakers.com/video/inside-americas-greatest-makers-recap/ . The group, calling themselves the Rogue Rovers Team HerdDogg, includes inventor Melissa Brandao and four engineers who designed the device, which is shaped like a dog-bone. The transmitters on cattle are picked up by the “bone” and sent to a central laptop. The bone receives data within 30 feet of cattle, so it can sit at the watering site or a herd dog can circulate among cattle and bring entries up to date, says inventor Melissa Brandao. As cattle were being moved through a steel cage and fitted with the ear device, Brandao observed “As you can see, this isn’t a fun process for the cattle or us, so life will be a lot easier once they’re installed. We’re building something low cost, low contact and we can reach animals in places that are underserved and improve their health and well-being.” The smart tag can help eliminate feed lots, enabling ranchers to keep track of cattle, letting them be in pastures, without having to concentrate them in crowded areas, she adds. “This enables them to go back in fields, fertilize the soil and eat from it, so they are part of the ecosystem. They’re also happier and happy cattle make better milk and beef; that’s proven.” The device is undergoing research and development on a herd off Eagle Mill Road, belonging to Standing Stone Brewery. “It’s got some big implications for the industry and will let everyone be able to verify the source, age and parentage of cattle,” says rancher Dave Westerberg of Valley View Beef, who is overseeing the process. The product will launch in May and sell for around $500, says software engineer Jeff Platt. “It sends data to your laptop or on Twitter in real time.” Brandao adds, “It’s the most game-changing technology being introduced on the show. It saves ranchers from driving around using visual cues. All the other inventions on the show are consumer-based. Ours is the only one focusing on a whole industry.” The invention has many potential other uses, says Brandao, who wants to contact the city of Ashland about using it to tag the city’s burgeoning deer population and keep track of its health, feeding, location, aggression and other issues. The TV show started with 24 inventors and is now whittled down to 15. It will be narrowed further this Tuesday to five contenders, each guaranteed $100,000. The grand prize goes to the final winner. Brandao, founder and chief executive of Ashland-based Rogue Rovers, is no stranger to the spotlight. She was among entrepreneurs from across the country to show off their products to President Barack Obama at the White House in August 2015. Rogue Rovers' first product, FarmDogg, is designed to be driven or operate autonomously and allow farmers to manage its data collection capabilities remotely. John Darling is an Ashland freelance writer. Reach him at [email protected]. By John Darling For the Tidings DailyTidings.com By John Darling For the Tidings Posted Apr. 18, 2016 @ 12:01 am » Comment or view comments Terms of Service /* $( document ).ready(function() { // Jquery mobile is trying to style the button and leaving a blank gry button on top of a white button $("#viafouracoms .vf-comment-controls li.vf-right").html(' Submit '); });*/ » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with DailyTidings.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Alerts Email alerts RSS feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. 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