유라이크코리아, 신생 반추동물용 최소형 바이오캡슐’ 세계 최초 개발

| 질병 조기 감지 및 초기 치료 가능해져 신생 송아지 폐사율 절감 기대

| 기존 제품 크기의 4분의 1로 분만 후 1시간 내 초유와 함께 투여 가능

스마트축산 전문기업 유라이크코리아는 세계 최초로 송아지 등 갓 태어난 반추동물의 질병을 조기 감지하는 ‘신생 반추동물 전용 라이브케어(LiveCare) 초소형 마이크로 바이오캡슐(Micro-bio capsule)’을 개발했다고 27일 발표했다.

유라이크코리아는 구제역·유방염·식체·폐렴·유행열 등 각종 가축질병 빅데이터를 5억건 이상 보유한 가축헬스케어 솔루션 업체다.

라이브케어 마이크로 바이오캡슐은 크기가 3cm인 초소형 제품이다. 기존 성우(다 자란 소)용 라이브케어(12cm) 크기의 4분의 1에 불과해 송아지가 태어난 후 1시간 내에 이뤄지는 초유 공급 시기에 입을 통한 경구투여가 가능하다.

이 제품은 갓 태어난 송아지의 반추 위에 머물며 측정한 생체 데이터를 사물인터넷(IoT)망을 활용해 메인 서버에 실시간으로 전송한다. 메인 서버는 전송된 데이터를 인공지능(A.I.)으로 분석해 코로나 바이러스 등 바이러스성·세균성 질병 등에 따른 고열 이상감지, 활동량 상태에 대한 개체별 건강상태 정보를 웹과 모바일 어플리케이션으로 농부에게 제공해 준다. 유라이크코리아는 솔루션에 대한 세계 특허 출원을 마쳤다.

대한수의학회지 발표에 따르면 송아지 질병과 폐사는 대부분 1~2주령에 발생한다. 설사병·폐렴·패혈증·기생충성 질병 등이 주요한 원인이다. 이 중 폐사율이 50% 이상인 바이러스 송아지 설사병은 로타바이러스와 코로나바이러스가 원인이다.

유라이크코리아는 이미 확보한 5억건 이상의 가축 생체 데이터와 2년 이상 축적한 송아지 임상데이터를 활용한 신생 반추동물용 초소형 캡슐(마이크로 바이오캡슐)로 세계

축산시장 진출에 박차를 가한다는 계획이다.

김희진 유라이크코리아 대표는 "생후 2주 이내 송아지의 소화기와 호흡질환 조기 이상감지, 음수(飮水)여부, 활동량 체크 등이 가능해져 어린 송아지의 높은 폐사율을 현저히 낮출 수 있게 됐다"며 "소과·사슴과·낙타과 등 50여종의 다양한 신생 반추동물을 아우르는 서비스로 확장해 세계 시장을 공략할 것"이라고 말했다.

박지환 기자

(조선비즈 / 2020.02.27)

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Capsule for Early Detection of Diseases

uLikeKorea Develops World’s First Micro-bio Capsule for Calves, Small Ruminants

uLikeKorea announced on Feb. 27 that it has successfully developed the world’s first micro-bio capsule to manage and detect calve-related diseases. The bio micro-capsule is 400 percent smaller than the original version of the calf capsule developed earlier by uLikeKorea.

uLikeKorea is already well-known for its Livecare product lines which can provide early disease detection, estrus and calving management for various livestock animals. In particular, Livecare system can provide early detection for critical diseases such as FMD, mastitis, indigestion, pulmonary diseases and fever.

Livecare bio capsule is administered orally and stays in the ruminant stomach. The capsule continues to collect and send biometric data and the data is analyzed to provide time-critical information related to disease, estrus, and calving management.

Kim Hee-jin, CEO of uLikeKorea, said, “The original calf capsule was 12 cm, but we were able to reduce it to a mere 3 cm micro size. This enables us to administer the capsule within one hour of the birth of a calf and allow effective disease management when the calf most need such disease management.”

Kim further stated that the newly born calves are susceptible to rotavirus and coronavirus and other viral diarrhea diseases. Accordingly, the fatality rate for calves is high but with the introduction of the micro-capsule, sensitive health issues such as digestive and pulmonary disorder can be detected and significantly reduce the fatality rate.

uLikeKorea has collected over 500 million biometric data points and conducted clinical testing on calves for over two years. Based on this R&D, uLikeKorea was able to successfully develop the bio micro-capsule. uLikeKorea plans to globally distribute the micro-capsule within the first half of 2020 and target key markets such as the Japanese premium market (Wagyu, organic, etc.).

uLikeKorea has continued to refine its Livecare products and has been garnering attention across the global market with its AI-based capabilities and highly accurate rate. In particular, the calf micro-capsule will allow uLikeKorea to provide a different level of service by allowing farmers to effectively manage newborn calves (water consumption rate, etc.).

Kim said that this is an important development linking a health management system from birth to the adult stage cows as each growth stage and health are linked to each other. According to the Korean Veterinary Association’s press release, the main cause of calf fatality is related to digestive, pulmonary and parasite infections. Among the viral infections, rotavirus and coronavirus are main culprits. The calf fatality is highest within the first two weeks and infections related to rotavirus, coronavirus and digestive problems can cause a fatality rate of up to 50 percent.

Diseases such as the new Corona 19 virus which originated in China, is difficult to identify in early stages and can become more difficult to treat as the disease progresses.

The micro-capsule developed by uLikeKorea uses IoT technology to measure key biometric data in real time and the collected data is analyzed through proprietary AI/Deep Learning system to provide information on viral infection (i.e. Corona), bacterial infection, fever and activity level.

Kim stated that she that the new system will allow full management of a cow in its entire life cycle and expand into other animals such as deer, camel and other 50 ruminant animals. Kim further stated that she hopes that the new system will contribute to overall well-being of livestock animals and effective disease management.

The current solution and the related technologies have been filed for patent protection and the safety of the capsule has already been proven. The system is an easy-to-use product where the user to review the status of the health of the livestock via web mobile app and PC program.

As previously reported, uLikeKorea has established its first European office in Denmark and has partnerships with global companies such as SoftBank (for Australian market) and has been chosen as an Innovative Company in Agritech by Microsoft to participate in ‘MS IoT in Action’ global program.

There is a global fight against the New Corona 19 virus. There is a sense of hope that the micro capsule can provide more effective calf health management solution and beyond that, a new paradigm in early detection system for viral and other disease not only for animals, but eventually, for people as well.

Choi Moon-hee

(BUSINESSKOREA / 2020.02.27)