• Bloat Alert app, designed by Charles Sturt University, now available for Android phones
• The Bloat Alert app was launched in July 2021 for iPhones
• The app has more than 250 users and detected more than 30 cases of bloat last year

A Charles Sturt University phone app to help beef producers with the management of bloat has now been released for Android.

The Bloat Alert app, launched in July last year, was developed as part of Charles Sturt University research into bloat in southern beef production systems and already has more than 250 users.

Professor in Livestock Systems with the Charles Sturt School of Agricultural, Environmental and Veterinary Sciences and researcher with the Gulbali Institute of Agriculture, Water and Environment Bruce Allworth is leading the bloat research, funded by the Charles Sturt Fred Morley Centre and the Darcy O’Sullivan Bequest that has involved a survey of 218 beef producers.

He said the Bloat Alert app provides producers with an early warning system.

“Producers who download the app can be notified when bloat is reported in their area, thereby giving them the heads up that they need to check their cattle and possibly initiate or increase preventive measures,” Professor Allworth said.

“Importantly, producers that report bloat won’t be specifically identified. The Bloat Alert app only reports the postcode where the bloat occurs, not the exact location, so producers can report cases to assist fellow producers without being identified themselves.”

There were more than 30 reports of bloat using the app last year, even though 2021 was not considered a bad bloat year. Professor Allworth said the feedback from producers was very encouraging.

“Bloat has not been an issue yet this season in southern NSW because of the grass dominant pastures, and I am hoping it will be another low-risk year for bloat,” he said.

“But having the Bloat Alert app will help producers know immediately if that risk increases in their district. Typically, July and August are the highest risk months for bloat, so we were very keen to get the Android and updated iPhone versions out now so producers can be in the best position to know what’s going on in their district.”

App developer Mr James Allworth has also updated the iPhone version, allowing those already using the app to have bloat reports reset so they can see just new cases this year.

The success of the Bloat Alert app has prompted the development team to look at other uses, with former Charles Sturt researcher Dr Cara Wilson, now with Central Queensland University, looking at overseeing a similar app for three-day sickness.

Bloat Alert can be downloaded for free from the App Store for iPhone users and the Google Play Store for Android users.

Professor Allworth said he is keen for producers who have downloaded the app to provide feedback on it.