Who we are
Our ranching roots go back to 1887. Over generations, our operation has adapted alongside changing landscapes, markets, and technologies. Like most long-running ranches, we have embraced new tools in our cowherd when they proved useful and practical, and set them aside when they did not.
Through that experience, we noticed a consistent gap in the marketplace. While digital livestock systems continue to expand, there remains a lack of straightforward, analog-friendly approaches that help streamline early illness detection without adding unnecessary complexity or dependence on constant connectivity.
First Signs Ag grew out of that gap. It is a ranch-driven effort to build tools that fit the realities of livestock work, not the other way around.
Our Approach
First Signs Ag approaches livestock health screening with a focus on patterns over time, not isolated readings. Cattle experience constant physiological and environmental noise from weather, handling, exertion, and daily movement. A single data point rarely tells the full story.
Our work centers on identifying sustained changes that persist across time and conditions. By looking at short, mid, and longer time windows, the system aims to distinguish meaningful health signals from normal variation. The intent is to reduce false alerts while still surfacing changes that warrant closer attention.
This approach is being developed and tested in real ranch settings, with an emphasis on simplicity, durability, and practical use. The goal is not to replace observation or management decisions, but to support them with clearer, more reliable early signals.
Why Analog
Many livestock monitoring systems rely heavily on continuous connectivity, complex infrastructure, or high-resolution data streams. While powerful in some environments, those requirements do not always align with the realities of working ranches.
An analog-first approach prioritizes local processing, resilience, and consistency. By limiting dependence on constant communication and external systems, analog-leaning designs can continue functioning in remote areas, during weather events, and under variable handling conditions.
First Signs Ag is exploring how simpler, more self-contained systems can streamline illness screening without adding operational burden. The aim is to create tools that work quietly in the background and integrate naturally into existing livestock management practices.
Contact us
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