Patent ID: 8070687

Claim:
A method of detecting a reproductive status of a non-human animal which undergoes oestrus, said method comprising the following steps: detecting a blood amount perfused in a predetermined region of a vaginal canal of said animal by: illuminating said predetermined region with a first electromagnetic radiation having a first wavelength between 760 nm and 1400 nm, a second electromagnetic radiation having a second wavelength between 600 nm and 760 nm, and a third electromagnetic radiation having a third wavelength between 490 nm and 600 nm, receiving a reflected radiation of each of said first, second and third radiations from said region, obtaining values for each of said reflected radiations, comparing using a processing unit said values for each of said reflected radiations with each other and comparing, using said processing unit, said values from said first, second, and third wavelengths with, respectively, values predetermined from reflected radiations of said first, second, and third wavelengths, the predetermined values being typical of said animal's vulva during an oestrus period; and determining using a processing unit a reproductive status of said animal depending on said comparisons.