In development · pilots 2027
Know which animal needs you today.
An ID ear tag that learns each animal's normal, flags the ones worth a closer look, and keeps a tamper-evident history on the animal itself.
01What biometric means here
Body and behavior, not faces.
Biometric, on this page, means body and behavior signals of the animal: how she moves, eats, rests and ruminates, and the conditions around her. It is not face recognition, and it is not a medical device.
Every animal is compared with her own baseline and with her pen-mates. When her pattern shifts, she moves up the morning short list. The light means look, never treat: what to do stays with you and your vet.
02Capabilities
Ten outcomes, no spec sheet.
What you will know each morning that you do not know today.
- 01See who to check firstA ranked short list each morning, not a wall of alarms.
- 02Her normal, not the herd'sEach animal compared with herself and with her pen-mates.
- 03A light at the earThe tag can signal "take a look" without a phone or a signal.
- 04No barn hardwareRead the pen with the phone you already carry.
- 05Time budgets you can act onRumination, eating and resting patterns, for you and your nutritionist.
- 06Heat cycles and breeding windowsHelp timing breeding, alongside your current program.
- 07Heat load, animal by animalConditions where the animal is, not at the barn door.
- 08A history that moves with herA lifetime record carried through sale and transfer.
- 09Proof it hasn't been alteredSigned, tamper-evident records a buyer or auditor can check.
- 10Test changes on your farmCompare a ration or protocol change against an untreated group.
03 · Walk the pen
Walk the pen. Know the pen.
Each tag's status arrives on your phone as you walk past. The readout says how she compares with her own normal, in plain words.
840 · USA · Example
Illustration · fictional ID- Read
- OK · 0.38 s
- Pen
- 4 · calf program · day 11
- Status
- normal for her · confidence 0.92
- Synced
- 06:12 CST
04How it works
From the ear to the decision.
- 01 · On the animalLearns her normalRecords continuously, with or without signal.
- 02 · In the penWalk and readWalk through with the Mule app; every tag's status arrives as you go.
- 03 · On the platformComparePen-mates, pen-wide changes, your trials.
- 04 · Into decisionsAct and proveCheck lists, vet reports, a verifiable record at sale. Data leaves only when you choose.
05Use cases
Who it is for, and when.
Calf raisers and dairies first. Roadmap uses carry a coming-later status.
| Who | What they get | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Calf raiser | A morning short list of calves to look at during the weeks of highest risk; a record that follows each calf back to the dairy or on to the buyer. | Pilot 2027 |
| Dairy | Breeding windows, time budgets, heat-load ranking, treatment and withdrawal records in one place. | Pilot 2027 |
| Veterinarian | Chute-side review of an animal's full history to support the exam; cohort and stewardship reports. | Pilot 2027 |
| Buyer or processor | A signed health and origin history to check before purchase; supporting records for program audits. | Later |
| Feedlot | Arrival-to-closeout pull lists ranked by behavior change; less pen-riding to find the animals that need it. | Roadmap |
| Cow-calf | Birth and health history ready for sale-barn and program paperwork. | Roadmap |
| Livestock hauler | Conditions and activity during the trip, readable at unloading. | Roadmap · pilot only |
| EU farmer | Built for EU data rules from day one; free export, no sharing by default. | Roadmap |
06Evidence
What published research suggests.
Published studies of ear-tag behavior monitoring, cited as research. These are not Mule results; pilot results will be published as they come in.
2-3DAYS
Ear-tag behavior flagged calf BRD ahead of diagnosis in one single-site study. Research suggests, not proven.
Single site, vendor-affiliated authors. Research suggests; not a Mule result.
Source · PMC9101259 · 2022
~4DAYS
Earlier first BRD treatment with an automated ear tag than with pen riders in one feedlot trial. Industry-funded; morbidity unchanged.
Industry-funded trial; morbidity unchanged. Research suggests; not a Mule result.
Source · PMC12161071 · 2025
$1-4/CWT
Premium reported for age- and source-verified calves. Requires an audited USDA program.
Requires an audited USDA program. The tag supports records for such programs.
Source · Beef Magazine · UC Davis · 2024
FAQ
About the tag
Is this an official ID tag?
It is designed to work with official EID. Certification is in progress, and we will publish the status as it changes. Today it is not an APHIS-approved official identification device and not an official EU identifier.
Does it diagnose disease?
No. It points you to animals worth checking. Diagnosis and treatment stay with you and your vet.
Does it measure body temperature?
No. It uses behavior and environment signals.
What do I need on the farm?
A phone or tablet with the Mule app. No gateways or towers.
What happens with no signal?
The tag keeps working and recording; the app syncs when you are back in range.
Who owns the data?
You decide. No sharing by default, free export anytime, sharing only on your say-so.
Does it work with my herd software?
Integrations with common herd systems are planned. Tell us what you use in the pilot request.
When can I get it, and what does it cost?
Pilot farms from 2027. Request a pilot to be considered. Pilot pricing on request.
07Request a pilot
Help prove it on your farm.
We are selecting a small number of farms to help validate the tag with veterinary-confirmed outcomes. Pilot farms from 2027.
Pilot pricing on request.
Required notices
FCC. This device has not been authorized as required by the rules of the Federal Communications Commission. This device is not, and may not be, offered for sale or lease, or sold or leased, until authorization is obtained.
USDA APHIS. Not an APHIS-approved official identification device.
European Union. Not an official EU identifier. No CE marking is claimed.
Pilot participation is governed by the tag pilot terms.
Start a project
Have a data problem the tag does not solve yet?
Most of what Mule builds runs without the tag: calf and herd records, health logs, traceability and transport. Tell us what you want to fix.
Or write directly
juastins@icloud.comReplies within 1 business day. No phone line; every conversation is in writing and in your portal.