Cattle welfare takes a step foward

Dairy farmers are using pedometers to increase milk production and check the health of their herds. The devices, which are fitted to the cows' legs and send data to a computer, have been offered to farmers by the Asda supermarket chain. The system shows when a cow is ready to breed, which can improve milk production, or when a cow is unwell, by measuring the distance they walk. They walk further when they are ready to be inseminated, and less when they feel ill. Chris and Margie Hall, who have a farm near Huddersfield, said that the system had been an instant success.