Data from: Impacts of heat stress on the accuracy of an ear-tag accelerometer for monitoring rumination and eating behavior in dairy-beef cross cattle using an automated gold standard

The objective of this study was to determine if a commercially available ear-tag sensor (CM; CowManager SensOor, Agis Automatisering BV) could accurately quantify eating and rumination time under heat stress conditions. Data obtained from CM sensors was compared with data collected using an automated gold standard (RW; Rumiwatch System; Itin+Hoch). Automated measurements were obtained from 2 experiments in which cattle were exposed to heat stress conditions. In the principal study (Experiment 1), 3428 h of data were collected from 9 Holstein × Angus steers (470.9 ± 23.9 kg) subjected to either thermoneutral (TN; 21.0°C; 64.0% humidity; temperature-humidity index [THI] = 67; 12- and 12-h light and dark cycle; n = 1714 h), or heat stress conditions (HS; cyclical daily temperatures to mimic diurnal patterns; 0800 – 2000 h: 33.6°C, 40.0% RH, THI: 83.5; 2000 – 0800 h: 23.2°C, 70.0% RH; THI: 70.3; n = 1714 h). Data (n = 719 h) from 6 Holstein x Angus steers (487.9 ± 9.1 kg) were obtained from a subsequent experiment (Experiment 2) to confirm consistency of ear-tag accelerometer performance under elevated THI (HS conditions as described above).