New methods for long-term measuring of animal welfare: Preliminary results of implantable ECG logger

There is a need to develop new methods for long-term monitoring of animals’ welfare. Many studies on different species, including cattle, show that heart rate variability (HRV) is a promising stress indicator. However measuring HRV has been dependent on ECG monitors placed on the skin and these monitors do not function properly with animals and can be used only for short periods of time. Our aim was to test a new implantable long-term ECG and activity logger for dairy cattle.