A versatile telemetry system for continuous measurement of heart rate, body temperature and locomotor activity in free-ranging ruminants

Signer, Claudio; Ruf, Thomas; Schober, Franz; Fluch, Gerhard; Paumann, Thomas; Arnold, Walter

doi:10.1111/j.2041-210X.2009.00010.x

Publication type:	Article in scientific journal
Type of review:	Peer review (publication)
Title:	A versatile telemetry system for continuous measurement of heart rate, body temperature and locomotor activity in free-ranging ruminants
Authors:	Signer, Claudio Ruf, Thomas Schober, Franz Fluch, Gerhard Paumann, Thomas Arnold, Walter
DOI:	10.1111/j.2041-210X.2009.00010.x
Published in:	Methods in Ecology and Evolution
Volume(Issue):	1
Issue:	1
Page(s):	75
Pages to:	85
Issue Date:	2010
Publisher / Ed. Institution:	Wiley
ISSN:	2041-210X
Language:	English
Subject (DDC):	577: Ecology
Abstract:	Measuring physiological and behavioural parameters in free‐ranging animals – and therefore under fully natural conditions – is of general biological concern but difficult to perform. We have developed a minimally invasive telemetry system for ruminants that is capable of measuring heart rate (HR), body temperature (Tb) and locomotor activity (LA). A ruminal transmitter unit was per os placed into the reticulum and therefore located in close proximity to the heart. The unit detected HR by the use of an acceleration sensor and also measured Tb. HR and Tb signals were transmitted via short‐distance UHF link to a repeater system located in a collar unit. The collar unit decoded and processed signals received from the ruminal unit, measured LA with two different activity sensors and transmitted pulse interval‐modulated VHF signals over distances of up to 10 km. HR data measured with the new device contained noise caused by reticulum contractions and animal movements that triggered the acceleration sensor in the ruminal unit. We have developed a software filter to remove this noise. Hence, the system was only capable of measuring HR in animals that showed little or no activity and in the absence of rumen contractions. Reliability of this ‘stationary HR’ measurement was confirmed with a second independent measurement of HR detected by an electrocardiogram in a domestic sheep (Ovis aries). In addition, we developed an algorithm to correctly classify an animal as ‘active’ or ‘at rest’ during each 3‐min interval from the output of the activity sensors. Comparison with direct behavioural observations on free‐ranging Alpine ibex (Capra ibex) showed that 87% of intervals were classified correctly. First results from applications of this new technique in free‐ranging Alpine ibex underlined its suitability for reliable and long‐term monitoring of physiological and behavioural parameters in ruminants under harsh field conditions. With the battery settings and measurement cycles used in this study, we achieved a system lifetime of approximately 2 years.
URI:	https://digitalcollection.zhaw.ch/handle/11475/15457
Fulltext version:	Published version
License (according to publishing contract):	Licence according to publishing contract
Departement:	Life Sciences and Facility Management
Organisational Unit:	Institute of Natural Resource Sciences (IUNR)
Appears in collections:	Publikationen Life Sciences und Facility Management

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Signer, C., Ruf, T., Schober, F., Fluch, G., Paumann, T., & Arnold, W. (2010). A versatile telemetry system for continuous measurement of heart rate, body temperature and locomotor activity in free-ranging ruminants. Methods in Ecology and Evolution, 1(1), 75–85. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2041-210X.2009.00010.x

Signer, C. et al. (2010) ‘A versatile telemetry system for continuous measurement of heart rate, body temperature and locomotor activity in free-ranging ruminants’, Methods in Ecology and Evolution, 1(1), pp. 75–85. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2041-210X.2009.00010.x.

C. Signer, T. Ruf, F. Schober, G. Fluch, T. Paumann, and W. Arnold, “A versatile telemetry system for continuous measurement of heart rate, body temperature and locomotor activity in free-ranging ruminants,” Methods in Ecology and Evolution, vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 75–85, 2010, doi: 10.1111/j.2041-210X.2009.00010.x.

SIGNER, Claudio, Thomas RUF, Franz SCHOBER, Gerhard FLUCH, Thomas PAUMANN und Walter ARNOLD, 2010. A versatile telemetry system for continuous measurement of heart rate, body temperature and locomotor activity in free-ranging ruminants. Methods in Ecology and Evolution. 2010. Bd. 1, Nr. 1, S. 75–85. DOI 10.1111/j.2041-210X.2009.00010.x

Signer, Claudio, Thomas Ruf, Franz Schober, Gerhard Fluch, Thomas Paumann, and Walter Arnold. 2010. “A Versatile Telemetry System for Continuous Measurement of Heart Rate, Body Temperature and Locomotor Activity in Free-Ranging Ruminants.” Methods in Ecology and Evolution 1 (1): 75–85. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2041-210X.2009.00010.x.

Signer, Claudio, et al. “A Versatile Telemetry System for Continuous Measurement of Heart Rate, Body Temperature and Locomotor Activity in Free-Ranging Ruminants.” Methods in Ecology and Evolution, vol. 1, no. 1, 2010, pp. 75–85, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2041-210X.2009.00010.x.