Tattoo and Applicator for animal lifecycle monitoring

Summary

This project sought to develop biologically reactive inks and a device to apply them as a tattoo to the skin of cattle and sheep to visually, and in real time, monitor the health and physiological status of an animal.

There were several potential uses targeted:

• Detection of pregnancy status
• Stress monitoring – related to wellbeing and eating quality
• Heat load / fever detection

A prototype needle applicator was developed that allowed ink to be applied at varying depths via imbedded needles.  The needles were biodegradable and dissolved in the dermal layer.

Prototype inks were developed that reacted (changed colour) to differing hormone and temperature levels.  However, even under laboratory trial conditions the inks could not be refined to achieve sufficient accuracy at which colour change occurred.

This project was terminated due to being unable to achieve a commercially acceptable accuracy.