View the Moocall sensor  False alarms can occur with the Moocall calving sensor from time to time for various reasons.

However, if you follow the tips you find in this article it shouldn’t be an issue for you.

Here’s how to minimise false alarms with your Moocall calving sensor:

Fly spray on tail

Sometimes in hot weather the cow can trigger calving alerts on the sensor when swatting off flies with her tail.

One solution some of our other customers use is by putting fly spray on the cow’s tail. Other things you can do to help reduce this is by mucking out her enclosure if you can.

A common repellent for flies and biting insects is feeding the cow a garlic lick. The garlic passes through the animal and is secreted through pores in the skin, producing an invisible barrier around livestock which flies and other biting insects find repellent.

moocall garlic lick

Get red rubber

We have found that users with the old grey rubber tend to have a comparatively high percentage of false alarms.

This is the reason we developed the new red rubber for the Moocall. This rubber is more comfortable on the cow, and is non-slip.

If you don’t have this rubber already, get in touch with our team and they will sort you out with one.

Make sure it is adjusted correctly

When you attach the Moocall to your cow or heifer’s tail, make sure it is correctly placed and appropriately tightened.

It is meant to be placed on the tail, opposite the cow’s vulva. Close the latch and pull the strap until it is hand tight.

If you have the red rubber, you should be able to slide it left and right and further up the tail, but not downwards.

If you find that the device is falling off the cow’s tail (on smaller or dairy animals) use the ratchet to tighten the device to the tail by one or two notches.

Give your cow a break

When your Moocall has been attached to your cow for over 4 days we recommend you remove the device for a few hours to give your cow a break.

Our device will trigger a text to remind you when to do this.

Other reasons why you may receive a false alarm:

  • Straw bedded shed getting new straw and cow with more activity than normal
  • Another cow calving beside the cow with the sensor fitted
  • Lice – the cow is consistently scratching
  • Mastitis – in a severe case of infection
  • Broken tail – tail held at wrong angle consistently (not common)