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It's hard to know if
a horse or cow is lame – unlike humans, they don't complain
incessantly about the aches in their limbs – but not knowing is and
can be very expensive. Professor of mechanical engineering Uri Tasch has
invented a diagnostic device that promises to save animals from pain and
their owners from huge veterinary bills.
Tasch estimates that
the Maryland dairy industry loses close to $500 million a year to
livestock lameness, caused by infection, arthritis, or injury, and the
state's horse racing and breeding industry loses millions more.
Nationwide, and even internationally, there are billions of dollars a
year at stake.
Tasch's patented
invention promises early detection of lameness: Using a sensitive scale,
video camera, and computerized instruments, the device measures the
force and duration of the animal's steps, factors in its weight, and can
automatically pinpoint which leg might be causing problems.
Negotiations with
corporations interested in licensing Tach's technology are under way,
and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, recognizing the device's
importance, has helped support Tasch's research. |
