None of his 300 cows have a FitBit account, but Luxemburg’s Josh Salentine checks on his herd just the same. According to DairyBusiness.com, approximately 10 percent of farmers nationwide use fitness trackers to help keep track of their cows’ health. The technology was introduced at Salentine Homestead Dairy two months ago to help keep closer tabs on its growing herd. Salentine’s routine now includes a morning check of the tracker’s app to see if a cow’s rumination was off or was not moving enough over the last 24 hours. He says it has been a handy tool.

Hoard’s Dairyman, an agriculture publication, also credits tracking devices with improving cow longevity and comfort while decreasing the amount of labor and medication needed to treat the animals. If you want to compare step totals with the cows, Salentine Homestead Dairy is this year’s Kewaunee County Breakfast on the Farm host on Father’s Day.

Picture courtesy of Salentine Homestead Dairy