Design Problem

As the world's population is increasing, the efficiency of agriculture is required to be at an all-time high to feed the world. A large contributor to nutrient rich foods is the dairy industry. Dairy cows living in close quarters are very susceptible to diseases, and monitoring their health is becoming increasing difficult as dairy farms are increasing their number of cows to meet demand. Dairy cows primarily consist of female Holstein bred which cows, and are well-known for their black and white coloring. 

Dairy cows can face many health related problems, one of which is a displaced abomasum. This causes the animal's abomasum fills with gas and rises to the top of the abdomen. An early indication sign of a displaced abomasum is a high concentration of L-Lactate levels in the blood [1]. We aim to develop and test a biosensor patch that can be implanted in dairy cattle and provide timely measures of lactate levels. This monitoring device can help farmers notice changes in their cows before symptoms can begin to cause pain and decrease milk production.