Press release
March 25, 2013
Callaghan Innovation Co-Funding Enables Large Herd Trials For Kahne
Kahne Animal Health (Kahne) today announced that Callaghan Innovation will co-fund a large-herd testing project for
their world-first sensor-based wireless monitoring systems used to track health and fertility in cows.
Callaghan Innovation will provide $1 million towards testing the biotelemetry-based rumen and fertility monitoring
devices which measure temperature, pH levels and identify oestrus indicators in cows. The devices track and transmit
data to provide farmers with health alerts and reports to help with the early detection of health problems,
effectiveness of nutrition management, disorders that could impact fertility, and accurate oestrus detection.
Kahne Chief Executive, Susanne Clay, said while there is a global market for the technology, the company has given
priority to the local market to help Kiwi farmers solve livestock issues to drive efficiencies that impact their bottom
lines.
“Kahne has two products under development – SentinelTM, a rumen monitoring system, and CatalystTM, a fertility
monitoring system – both of which will deliver never-before available support to farmers and their advisors, helping
improve the productivity, health and sustainability of ruminant livestock.
“500 prototype units have been sold to researchers around the world, but with the co-funding received from Callaghan
Innovation we are now able to complete development and validate the system at scale with commercial herds,” she said.
Acting General Manager of Business R Grants at Callaghan Innovation, Graham Smith, is pleased Callaghan Innovation is able to provide grants to support
companies like Kahne that are involved in research and development.
“At Callaghan Innovation we aim to accelerate commercialisation of innovation in New Zealand firms, grants like these
are just one of the ways we enable businesses to invest more in research, science, engineering and technology so they
can be more successful,” said Mr Smith.
The grant from Callaghan Innovation follows a successful funding round late last year led by Wellington based venture
fund Movac.
ENDS