Abstract: Autonomously administering a pharmaceutical agent to an animal. A tag assembly is affixed to an animal. The tag assembly may be an ear tag, although other configurations can be used. The tag assembly has a reservoir that houses a pharmaceutical agent. An actuator and an application mechanism are provided. A control signal is generated responsive to an input, which may be from a sensor associated with the tag assembly or may be from an external circuit located apart from the tag assembly. Receipt of the control signal causes the actuator to apply a force to the reservoir, which in turn induces a flow of the pharmaceutical agent, via the application mechanism, to a body of the animal. The pharmaceutical agent may be topically or intravenously applied. The pharmaceutical may be an insecticide or some other agent. Multiple reservoirs can be provided to dispense the same or different pharmaceutical agents.

Abstract: Apparatus for managing animals such as but not limited to livestock. In some embodiments, a tag assembly is configured for attachment to an outer ear of an animal. The tag assembly has a main body and a shaft that extends through an aperture extending through the outer ear to attach the main body to a facing surface of the outer ear. A primary temperature sensor of the tag assembly is configured to obtain outer ear temperature data indicative of an outer ear temperature of the outer ear. A control circuit is configured to receive the outer ear temperature data via a wireless communication link with the tag assembly. The control circuit determines a health state of the animal in response to a localized change in a magnitude of the outer ear temperature data in relation to a set of ambient temperature data over a selected time interval.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for managing animals such as but not limited to livestock. In some embodiments, an ear tag assembly has a main body, a backing member and a shaft that extends through an aperture through an outer ear of an animal to interconnect the main body and the backing member. A primary temperature sensor obtains an outer ear temperature of the outer ear. An ambient temperature sensor obtains an ambient temperature of a surrounding environment external to the animal. A control circuit receives the outer ear and ambient temperatures and determines a state of the animal responsive to a comparison of the outer ear temperature and the ambient temperature over a selected time interval.

Abstract: Apparatus for managing animals such as but not limited to livestock. In some embodiments, an ear tag assembly has a tag, a backing member and an elongated shaft assembly configured to pierce and extend through an outer ear (auricle) of the animal. A first temperature sensor is disposed within the shaft assembly to obtain an ear temperature measurement of the animal. A second temperature sensor obtains an ambient temperature measurement adjacent the animal. A control circuit accumulates temperature data from the first and second temperature sensors in a tag memory for subsequent transfer, via a wireless communication network, to a data collection unit. Additional sensors may be utilized. In some cases, the backing member may house a battery to power the control circuit. The backing member may be removably attachable to the shaft to allow replacement of the battery.