Eight of the most popular heat detection monitors on the market compared

Company: Genus ABS

Transponder type: Front leg sensor

Battery life: Five years

Software: Breeder Tag System

Reading station required? No

Download frequency: Every few minutes depending on data

Transmission from transponder to receiver: Radio

Internet access required? No, but recommended

Aerial range: Over 700m

Transponder data memory: 12 hours

Other alerts and add ons: Activity increases, identification of cystic cows, pregnancy monitoring, health and welfare alerts, down cow alert, calving alert, lying time observations

Special features: Feed Face technology. Can be used for parlour ID and linked to shedding gates

Warranty: Full warranty of tags and system included in price

Marketed by: Genus ABS. For more information visit genusbreeding.co.uk

Company: Ice Robotics

Transponder type: Leg sensor

Battery life: Five to seven years

Software: CowAlert

Reading station required? Either trigger point on parlour or regular download via antenna

Download frequency: When cow passes trigger point or every two hours. Interval can be adjusted

Transmission from transponder to receiver: Radio

Internet access required? Yes

Aerial range: 30-35 metres

Transponder data memory: Four days

Other alerts and add ons: Advanced fertility monitoring, lying time analysis, early lameness detection, mobility monitoring, CowAlert programme for researchers

Special features: Optimisation for different breeds, conditions and climates, email and text alerts available, cloud-based data access, updates and new modules up to four times per year, support provided from IceRobotics

Warranty: Five-year warranty

Marketed by: Ice Robotics. Find out more at icerobotics.com

Company: Dairymaster

Transponder type: Neck collar

Battery life: Up to 10 years

Software: MooMonitor+ software

Reading station required? No

Download frequency: Every 15 minutes

Transmission from transponder to receiver: Radio transmission

Internet access required? Yes

Aerial range: Up to 2km externally and 600 metres internally

Transponder data memory: 48 hours

Other alerts and add ons: Health monitoring including eating, lying and rumination

Special features: Can be linked to Dairymaster Milk Manager and shedding gates, scan collar with smartphone to assign to a cow

Warranty: Five years, 100 per cent warranty

Marketed by: Dairymaster. Find out more at dairymaster.com

Company: Allflex

Transponder type: Eartag (eSenseFlex) or neck collar (cSenseFlex)

Battery life: eSenseFlex - three years, cSenseFlex - seven years

Software: SenseHub

Reading station required? No

Download frequency: Every 20 minutes

Transmission from transponder to receiver: Radio

Internet access required? Yes

Aerial range: 200 to 500 metres

Transponder data memory: 24-36 hours

Other alerts and add ons: Heath alerts for individual animals and groups, calving alert, nutrition monitoring, routine changes, heat stress alert, can be linked to shedding gates

Special features: Available for beef and dairy herds, four different data application levels. Data can be viewed on touch-screen panel, PC or mobile device, tutorials and technical manuals.

Warranty: eSenseFlex – 2.5 years cSenseFlex – up to five years

Marketed by: Various UK dealers. For more information, visit allflexsa.com

Company: Afimilk

Transponder type: Neck Collar

Battery life: Five to seven years

Software: Silent Herdsman

Reading station required? Data can be downloaded via a parlour reader or in the shed

Download frequency: Every 15 minutes

Transmission from transponder to receiver: Wi-Fi

Internet access required? No

Aerial range: Up to 500 metres

Transponder data memory: 60 days

Other alerts and add ons: Calving alert, crowding and bedding issues, rest, welfare and sick behaviour

Special features: Ability to sort and update records from phone. Integrates with Uniform and DairyComp305

Warranty: Three years full warranty

Marketed by: Various UK dealers, contact Richard Hooson on richard@afimilk.com for more details.

Company: CowManager

Transponder type: Eartag

Battery life: Guaranteed for five years

Software: CowManager

Reading station required? No

Download frequency: Every 15 minutes

Transmission from transponder to receiver: Via a closed network

Internet access required? Yes

Aerial range: Up to 300 metres

Transponder data memory: Up to seven days

Other alerts and add ons: Rumination, temperature and health alerts including warnings for reduced eating time and abnormal lying time. Group nutritional analysis can also be provided. Additionally, the Find My Cow service is available, offering GPS cow locator

Special features: Over the air programming, allowing updates to be installed remotely. The only external device to offer temperature monitoring

Warranty: Five-year warranty with one-off payment, unlimited warranty with subscription option

Marketed by: World Wide Sires UK. For more information, visit wwsires.com

Company: SmaXtec

Transponder type: Bolus

Battery life: Up to four years

Software: SmaXtec Messenger

Reading station required? No

Download frequency: Every time a cow is in range of receiver

Transmission from transponder to receiver: Radio

Internet access required? Yes

Aerial range: 10-30 metres

Transponder data memory: 50 days

Other alerts and add ons: Calving alert, health alerts including temperature changes and reduced activity, drinking alert, heat stress alert. SmaXtec pH Plus Bolus includes additional rumen pH monitoring

Special features: Takes into account group behaviour to improve accuracy of heat detection

Warranty: Two years

Marketed by: Mole Valley Farmers. For more information, visit molevalleyfarmers.com