Orally Administrable Wireless Activity and pH Probe for Cattle Reticulum

High-energy diets can have a negative impact on the function of the digestive system of cattle. Nevertheless, in modern farming, there are many reasons why reinforced diets are desirable, and it is therefore of interest to be able to continuously monitor their impact. Here, an orally administrable indwelling wireless probe that can track pH and movement is presented. It is designed to maintain its position in the reticulum and to provide measurements for several years without maintenance. An in situ test of the probe reveals that daily variations in pH, as well as changes induced by the diet, can be detected by the probe. It is also shown that the probe can detect reticulum contractions and that probe data can be used to verify that the probe is in its proper location.