spinofflive
Don’t worry, the cows will not be left to fend for themselves
Don’t worry, the cows will not be left to fend for themselves

BusinessJune 28, 2018

Pavlov’s cows: Is this remote-control cow system creepy, or the future of farming?

Don’t worry, the cows will not be left to fend for themselves
Don’t worry, the cows will not be left to fend for themselves

A Kiwi company wants to make fencing and farm dogs redundant, creating a collar equipped with audio and vibrational cues that can be remotely controlled from the farmhouse – and measure fertility. But is it good for the cows?

It has a Tesla-esque logo, marketing language swiped straight from Tinder and is backed by Silicon Valley titan (or villain) Peter Thiel.

And Auckland-Waikato based startup Halter is also a typically ambitious tech company; its “Cowgorithim” collar and app system is marketed as a panacea for almost every industry ailment – from giving farmers less drudgery and automating herd movements, to overcoming farmers’ failure to fence off waterways, allowing intense pasture management without increasing fertilisers and also making the constant loop of the artificial insemination/pregnancy process (critical for milk production) more efficient.

The company was founded in 2016 by Craig Piggott, a young engineer who’d already cut his teeth building rockets with Peter Beck’s space company Rocket Lab. Piggott conceived a solar-powered collar, or “GPS enabled intelligent neck band” that would track cows, build a virtual paddock around them and train their behaviour all the while transmitting data, including when a cow is on heat.

The Spinoff caught up with the chief executive officer of the California-incorporated company to find out how it all works, and to ask him what he thinks about the dairy industry practices he’s helping to make (ruthlessly?) efficient.

The Spinoff: Is the “Cowgorithm” a real thing? 

Craig Piggott: Absolutely! It is a technology we have patented that we use to manage the shifting of cows around the farm. It detects a cow’s location relative to where it needs to be and uses sound and vibrational cues to remotely shift the cow.

Halter has won a few awards, including a recent Vodafone Innovation Award at Fieldays. How meaningful are these to the company? Have you had any direct benefit? 

Whilst awards aren’t our primary motivation they do provide a point where we can stand back as a team and reflect on the good work we’ve done. Further, they often provide some publicity which helps get the word out about what we are doing. We had an awesome couple of days at Fieldays and were fortunate to receive two awards which definitely helped to create interest in the company – we ended up with hundreds of farmers indicating they want to trial the technology. 

Halter is currently being used on some pilot farms. What’s the plan in terms of commercialising the technology and getting it out to the public? 

We have been testing on our own private development farm in the Waikato for over a year. With the technology up and running the next step is to roll out our first handful of customers later this year.

How much does it cost to make one collar? What did your first prototype look like, what was it made from? What’s the lifetime of a collar? 

It sits around the neck of a cow. It’s now very rugged and robust, but initially we prototyped with just 3D printed units.  

Piggott and cow and collar. (Image: supplied) 

You’re privately funded. Does that present any challenges? What was it like to raise money? And how much have you got now, and how long do you expect it to last?

We have raised several rounds of capital from both local and offshore investors. We recently closed an $8 million round from investors in Silicon Valley. The round was led by Data Collective, who are also investors in Rocket Lab. Further, Founders Fund (Peter Thiel’s fund) and Ubiquity Ventures also participated in the round. They join existing investors which include Promus Ventures, The Icehouse and Rocket Lab CEO, Peter Beck. 

What is your lifestyle like? And how have you settled on remuneration? 

Being a founder is definitely a roller coaster – every day and every year is different to the last. We’ve been going for almost two-and-half-years, and have gone from an idea to a rapidly growing team of 15 at the last count (seems to be changing weekly!). It’s exciting. Remuneration is easy, any dollar you take from the company is a dollar less to grow with. You need to eat, and be warm, but your best investment is really to leave any further money you could take, in your company. 

What has been the single biggest challenge since inception? 

The biggest challenge we have faced from day one is finding the best people – we know that New Zealand has great talent, but we haven’t quite cracked the code on where to find them!

The idea of a human remotely swiping to control a cow is repugnant to some people. What would you say to them about Halter?  

We understand how some people may have that view. Presently, farmers use dogs, bikes, fences and themselves to guide a cow around the farm. We believe our sound and vibration-based guidance system will be far less stressful. All the farmers we’ve talked to want happy and healthy cows, so don’t want to do anything to jeopardise the health and well-being of their cows. We are simply trying to make it easier for farmers to do what they currently do, and in some cases, help them leverage technology to utilise farming methods that are better for the cow and for the environment.

The app subscription allows farmers to work on farm less, and sleep in more the company says. (Image: screenshot)

I spent some time looking at Halter’s website, and while it tells you a lot about what the product can do, it doesn’t tell you how it does that (that I could see). Why is that? 

From our experience, we have found potential customers are more interested in how the product will help make their life easier rather than getting into the technology, but we often describe the technology when we’re talking with farmers – just as we have below.

Can you explain how does it work? What is the collar doing, and reading, to give data back to the system? And when the collar is activated to move the cow, how does it do that? 

Starting with the theory, the technology is based on Pavlovian or Classical Conditioning – Pavlov had his dogs, we have our cows. Right now, a cow is shifted around a farm using a combination of visual and audio cues – like fences, gates, farmers, dogs and bikes. With Halter, we simply use a different set of cues, audio and vibrational, to elicit the same behavioural response.

At a technical level, we place a device, similar to a collar, around the neck of a cow and create a “virtual boundary” around each cow. We then use sound and vibrational cues applied at particular directional points on the device to move the cow. The system is driven by the schedule, set by the farmer who can use the system to move cows to and from the shed, establish virtual paddocks or break fences and alert farmers when a cow is on heat or lame. We leverage artificial intelligence which helps the system to learn and become smarter over time, whilst the farm becomes more profitable and more sustainable.

Halter claims to have solved the issue of stock wandering into rivers, and polluting them with urine and faeces. Can you explain in detail how this happens? 

Cows are trained to respond to audio cues, in turn this allows the system to guide and fence cows via the device. Virtually fencing a river or a drain for example is actually very easy, it requires reasonably simple algorithms that have been proven in field for over a year. Specifically, the sound is quite quiet, the device is very close to each ear and cows have large ears. More often than not we are unable to hear the cues during a shift, when looking at, or observing the cow. 

(Image: supplied)

There’s some concern with consumers about the dairy industry’s practice of separating cows from their calves, and artificially inseminating them, so we can drink milk. Halter makes this process more efficient, identifying cows which are in heat. What is your view on that concern?

Animal welfare for us is a top priority, detecting cows that are sick or on heat is one aspect of this, monitoring behaviour and giving cows more freedom than a fence is a massive advancement in how we farm today. Small calves are unable to walk the distances that the main herd tends to travel, this is something we are working to improve, not having to place all your cows in one herd improves the options available here. 

Have you been working with vets or animal welfare specialists to develop Halter?

Welfare is our top priority and our founding vision is to dramatically increase the well-being of cows. We have been working with animal ethics committees from the start, and continue to work closely with them alongside vets and professors in this domain.

We enable farmers to respond a lot quicker to any health issues, and therefore lift the overall health of their herd. We are also able to give cows a lot more freedom than a traditional fence, walk them at their own pace and place them back into an environment that is closer to how they would roam in the wild. The cows that have been using the system are also noticeably friendlier!

Have we reached peak cow in New Zealand?

‘Peak cow’ is really an environmental factor, so if the environmental effects of farming can be significantly reduced then you would likely see more cows. The demand for food in this world is ever growing and dairy is a massive part of that. The real question comes from how we sustainably increase production on farms. 

What is the ideal exit strategy? And what would life after Halter look like?  

Your main options are an acquisition or IPO. Either option would be evaluated against how best it enabled us to achieve our vision. At this stage we are focused on trying to reshape the farming industry.


The Spinoff’s business section is enabled by our friends at Kiwibank. Kiwibank backs small to medium businesses, social enterprises and Kiwis who innovate to make good things happen.

Check out how Kiwibank can help your business take the next step.

Keep going!
A RANDOM SELECTION OF ITEMS RECALLED OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS (PHOTOS: RECALLS.GOVT.NZ)
A RANDOM SELECTION OF ITEMS RECALLED OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS (PHOTOS: RECALLS.GOVT.NZ)

BusinessJune 28, 2018

The great Spinoff recall list: How many of these are your kids still using?

A RANDOM SELECTION OF ITEMS RECALLED OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS (PHOTOS: RECALLS.GOVT.NZ)
A RANDOM SELECTION OF ITEMS RECALLED OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS (PHOTOS: RECALLS.GOVT.NZ)

In part two of The Spinoff’s great recall list, we look at various items targeted towards parents and children, such as toys, strollers, cots, carriers, rattles, bottles, and kids pyjamas.

Below is a selection of recalled items we think are most relevant to consumers (part one looked at a selection of common household items). Of course, it goes without saying that this is by no means an exhaustive list – for that you need to be looking at the government’s official website.

Read More: How many of these common household items do you have?

Toys 

As the second most commonly recalled category in the last three years, it’s no surprise that more than 50 toys and novelty items have been recalled in the last five years. Approximately half of these are from dollar/discount stores like Lotsa Goodies and 123 Mart (no longer trading), but plenty of more reputable retailers like Farmers, Trade Aid, and Smiggle make appearances as well.

Also: choking hazard, choking hazard, unsafe levels of lead, choking hazard.

RECALL DATE BRAND PRODUCT RETAILERS SALE
DATE
RISK
2018 Le Toy Van Shape sorter (Noah’s ark) Various toy stores 2015 – 2018 Choking hazard
Lotsa Goodies Aquatic toy set Lotsa Goodies 2012 – 2018 Choking hazard
Unknown Tricycle Various dollar/discount stores 2013 – 2017 Choking hazard
Unknown Skiing rabbit push toy Various dollar/discount stores 2011 – Choking hazard
Marvel (Avengers) Torch & Chocolate eggs The Warehouse 2018 Choking hazard
Unknown Wooden alphabet set Various dollar/discount stores 2017 – 2018 Choking hazard
Peppa Pig Push toy Unknown 2015 – 2018 Choking hazard
Lotsa Goodies Baby toy set Lotsa Goodies 2012 – 2018 Choking hazard
Lotsa Goodies Plastic baby Lotsa Goodies 2012 – 2018 Choking hazard
Dickie Toys Quadcopter drone Farmers 2017 Fire/Overheating
2017 Trade Aid Clown counting set Trade Aid/The Addington Store/Kimarnock Toys/Living Nature/UBS Otago/Marmalade 2015 – 2017 Choking hazard
Farmers Christmas decorations Farmers Unknown Choking hazard
Le Toy Van Wooden train Various toy stores Unknown Choking hazard
Le Toy Van Sensory shapes Various toy stores Unknown Choking hazard
$3 Japan Dice puzzle Daiso $3 Japan Unknown Choking hazard
$3 Japan Rubber duck Daiso $3 Japan Unknown Choking hazard
$3 Japan Aquatic toy set Daiso $3 Japan Unknown Choking hazard
$3 Japan Cyclone projectile toy Daiso $3 Japan Unknown Facial & eye injuries
Horizon Hobby Remote-control car Unknown Unknown Fire
Neopuzzle Construction puzzle Unknown Unknown Choking hazard
My First Teddy Teddy bear Various 2016 – 2017 Does not comply with standards
Unknown LED fidget spinner Nitrous Spinner kiosks 2017 Choking hazard
Japan Mart Toy trumpet Japan Mart 2016 – 2017 Choking hazard
Play Studio Magnet buddy The Warehouse 2016 – 2017 Choking hazard
Baby Concert Toy instruments Unknown Unknown Choking hazard
Kmart Wooden train Kmart 2017 Choking hazard
Scania Teddy bear Unknown Unknown Choking hazard
Kids II Oball rattle Unknown 2016 – Choking hazard
Trade Aid Nesting dolls (bookends) Trade Aid/The Addington Store/Potters Patch Cooperative Unknown Unsafe levels of lead
Trade Aid Nesting dolls Trade Aid/The Addington Store 2016 – 2017 Unsafe levels of lead
Trade Aid Flute Trade Aid 2016 – 2017 Unsafe levels of lead
2016 Countdown LED spinning wand (Halloween) Countdown 2016 Choking hazard
Unknown Fairy dolls 123 Mart/Dollar Store 123/King Dollar Store/Max!Out Unknown Choking hazard
Unknown Butterfly push toy 123 Mart/Dollar Store 123/King Dollar Store/Max!Out Unknown Choking hazard
Unknown Toy instruments 123 Mart/Dollar Store 123/King Dollar Store/Max!Out Unknown Choking hazard
Beaut Doll (Surprised Girls) 123 Mart/Dollar Store 123/King Dollar Store/Max!Out Unknown Choking hazard
Unknown Doll & furniture 123 Mart/Dollar Store 123/King Dollar Store/Max!Out Unknown Choking hazard
Unknown Mermaid doll Various dollar/discount stores 2015 – 2016 Choking hazard
Smiggle Yoyo Smiggle 2015 – 2016 Choking hazard
Kmart Quad bike Kmart 2015 – 2016 Electric shock (charger)
Buzzy Bee Buzzy bee pull along Unknown Unknown Choking hazard
123 Mart Toy trumpet 123 Mart 2011 – 2015 Choking hazard
123 Mart Baby rattle 123 Mart 2011 – 2015 Choking hazard
123 Mart Alphabet magnets 123 Mart 2011 – 2015 Choking hazard
123 Mart House & furniture set 123 Mart 2011 – 2015 Choking hazard
123 Mart Wind-up toy (yellow snake) 123 Mart 2011 – 2015 Choking hazard
2015 Kmart Christmas decorations Kmart 2010 – 2015 Choking hazard
Smiggle Spy marker pen Smiggle 2014 – 2015 Choking hazard
Phil & Teddy Teddy bear Wellington, Christchurch & Waikato hospitals (free gift) 2010 – 2015 Choking hazard
The Warehouse Light up animal ring The Warehouse 2015 Choking hazard
2014 Smiggle Bouncy ball Smiggle 2014 Fire
Unknown Swirling streamers Office Max/Learn & Play 2014 Unsafe levels of lead
Smiggle Loopz fan Smiggle 2013 – 2014 Battery leakage
Play School Maracas Kidstuff/Baby Kingdom/ABC etc 2013 Choking hazard

Nursery (+accessories)

At least 17 recalls have been made for nursery-related items (includes pacifiers, toy boxes etc.) since 2013.

RECALL DATE BRAND PRODUCT RETAILERS SALE
DATE
RISK
2018 Rite Aid Touch thermometer Farmers/Baby City etc. 2017 Battery compartment not secure
Adairs Decorative canopy Adairs 2017 – 2018 Strangulation
Babywise Bouncer seat The Warehouse 2017 – 2018 Harness may detach
2017 Babyco Bassinette Baby Factory 2015 – 2017 Buckling / Splintering
VTech Travel mobile VTech stockists Unknown Clamp failure
The Warehouse Toy box The Warehouse 2014 -2017 Hinge irregularities
Adairs Basket stand Adairs Unknown Stand may collapse
2016 Bella Buttercup Play bar toy Unknown Unknown Choking hazard
Jazslings Pacifier clip Online stockists 2015 – 2016 Choking hazard
Jolly Jumper Basket stand Farmers Unknown Stand may collapse
Babyco Cot Baby Factory 2011 – 2014 Incorrect signage
Milano Cot Baby City 2012 – 2015
Snag hazard/Frame may crack/Incomplete signage
Wedgwood Rattles (Peter Rabbit) Ballantynes/Smith & Caugheys/Kirkcaldie & Stains 2015 Choking hazard
2014 Max & Rosie Cot Supplied by MTA 2013 – 2014 Fall hazard
Jolly KidZ Barrier The Warehouse 2013 – 2014
Barrier may be pulled out of position
2013 Tommee Tippee Pacifier Tommee Tippee stockists 2012 – 2013 Choking hazard
Fred & Friends Pacifier Independent gift stores 2013 Choking hazard

Baby carriers, strollers, capsules & car seats

At least 16 recalls have been issued for travel-related products for kids and infants. Cars seats prove to be the most problematic with seven recalls in the last four years while strollers come second with four.

RECALL DATE BRAND PRODUCT RETAILERS SALE
DATE
RISK
2018 Diono Car seat Various baby & auto retailers 2013 – 2018
Insufficient restraint when secured with lap belt
2017 iCandy Stroller iCandy stockists 2016 – 2017 Fall hazard
Britax Capsule Baby Factory/Kidzclub/Baby On The Move etc. 2016 – 2017 Choking hazard from chest clip
Britax Capsule Baby Factory/Kidzclub/Baby On The Move etc. 2011 – 2017
Receiver mounts may disconnect unexpectedly
2016 Royal & Well Car seat Top Deal 2016 Non-compliant legally
Mamas & Papas Stroller Nurtured/Mummmum/The Kids Department 2015 – 2016 Fall hazard
Lenny Lamb Carrier Unknown Unknown Insufficient stitching
Twin Go Carrier Twin Go stockists 2015 – 2016 Waist buckle breakage
Phil & Teds Stroller Unknown 2015 – 2016 Hinge may loosen
Recaro Car seat Recaro stockists 2013 – Top tether may detach
Britax Capsule Unknown Unknown Handle may crack
2015 Britax Car seat Unknown Unknown Shoulder straps may loosen
Maxi-Cosi Car seat The Baby Factory 2015
Loosened harness may make restraint ineffective
2014 Phil & Teds Car seat adaptor Unknown Unknown
Adaptors may crack in cold temperatures
Evenflo Car seat Unknown Unknown
Harness buckle may become defective
Steelcraft (Britax) Stroller Unknown Unknown Finger laceration

Kids & infant clothing

Choking hazard, insufficient labelling and carcinogenic properties are the three main reasons for recalling children’s clothing, especially when it comes to sleepwear.

RECALL DATE BRAND PRODUCT RETAILERS SALE
DATE
RISK
2018 Dollar Saver (Sarah) Pyjamas (Tinkerbell) Avondale Dollar Saver 2017 Insufficient fire hazard labelling
Dollar Saver Pyjamas (Pixar’s Cars) Avondale Dollar Saver 2017 Insufficient fire hazard labelling
Marks & Spencer Dressing gown Marks & Spencer online 2016 – 2017 Insufficient fire hazard labelling
Dollar Saver Dressing gown Avondale Dollar Saver 2017 – 2018 Insufficient fire hazard labelling
Dollar Saver Pyjamas (Pixar’s Cars & Strawberry Shortcake) Avondale Dollar Saver 2017 – 2018 Insufficient fire hazard labelling
Cotton On Kids Baby sleep sack Cotton On Kids/Cotton On Mega Unknown Choking hazard
2017 Babu Baby sleep sack/bodysuit Babu online 2016 – 2017 Choking hazard
EziBuy (Next) Brogue shoe EziBuy 2016 – 2017 Carcinogenic properties
2016 Groupon Infant bathrobe (animal-themed) Groupon Unknown Insufficient fire hazard labelling
Country Road Sweatshirt (elephant) Country Road Unknown Choking hazard
123 Mart Pyjamas 123 Mart/Dollar Store 123/King Dollar Store/Max!Out Unknown Insufficient fire hazard labelling
Country Road Infant sock Country Road Unknown Choking hazard
Toshi Sunhat Various 2015 – 2016 Choking hazard
2015 Nohi/Absorba/RuffleButts/Joules Pyjamas EziBuy/BuyInvite 2014 – 2015 Insufficient fire hazard labelling
Kmart Pyjamas (Barbie Princess & Monster High Ghouls) Kmart 2015 Insufficient standards
Kmart Pyjamas Kmart 2015 Insufficient standards
2014 BeBops Nappy shell BeBops online 2013 – 2014 Choking hazard
Just Jeans Junior Jeans/Pants/Shorts Just Jeans 2013 – Carcinogenic properties

Outdoor play

Includes outdoor playground items like swings and slides, and sporting goods like kayaks, scooters, and safety helmets.

RECALL DATE BRAND PRODUCT RETAILERS SALE
DATE
RISK
2018 Vuly Spin swing’ attachment No1 Fitness Unknown Fall hazard
Crazy Sales Foldable electric scooter Crazy Sales online 2017 – 2018 Fire/Electric shock
2017 S.R. Smith Helix pool slide Austra Pool & Spa 2014 Fall hazard
2016 Lifetime Kayak (youth) Rebel Sports Unknown Water may enter due to fault
Active Intent Swing sets The Warehouse 2015 – Chain may detach
Throw ‘N’ Catch Sports net Unknown Unknown Bracing arm may detach
2014 Farmers 3-in-1 safety swing Farmers 2012 – Fall hazard
Kmart Skate helmet Kmart 2012 – 2014 Straps may fail

Homeware

If it’s got batteries, it’s probably a choking hazard.

RECALL DATE BRAND PRODUCT RETAILERS SALE
DATE
RISK
2018 Neon Dreams Neon lights Unknown 2017 Burns from overheating
2017 Trolls Sipper cup Kmart/The Warehouse 2017 Choking hazard
2016 Countdown Flashing tumblers (Halloween) Countdown 2016 Choking hazard
Smiggle Water bottle Smiggle 2016 Choking hazard
2015 Inside Out Souvenir tumbler Event & Rialto Cinemas 2015 Choking hazard
Smiggle Cube clock Smiggle Feb 2015 Choking hazard
Smiggle DIY light Smiggle Feb 2015 Choking hazard
2014 kikki.K Kids table set kikki.K Feb 2014 – Jun 2014 Choking hazard

 

Read More: 

The Great Spinoff Recall list: How many of these common household items do you have?

There have been 22 heater recalls since 2010, and there’s a decent chance yours is on the list


The Spinoff’s business section is enabled by our friends at Kiwibank. Kiwibank backs small to medium businesses, social enterprises and Kiwis who innovate to make good things happen.

Check out how Kiwibank can help your business take the next step.