Veterinarians and farmers around the world share a pressing concern: how to vaccinate large herds or flocks reliably, quickly, and affordably while keeping accurate records. Traditional injection tools are still the norm in many farms, but they make it harder to guarantee that every animal gets the right dose. In an era of growing demand for animal products, vaccination must be not only widespread but also traceable and trustworthy.
Healthy animals are essential for food supply chains. Yet, carrying out vaccinations efficiently is no small task. Automatic or self-refilling guns exist, but they are often expensive or difficult to maintain. Meanwhile, pressure on farmers and veterinarians keeps increasing: they must protect animal health, ensure food safety, and meet regulatory requirements, all under tight time and cost constraints.
Vaccination is more than a technical step; it is a cornerstone of animal welfare and food security. Missed doses or inconsistent volumes can lead to disease outbreaks, economic losses, and reputational risks for producers. That is why precision and documentation have become essential in responsible animal health management.
Recognizing these challenges, Swiss manufacturer Socorex turned to CSEM with a clear mission: ease the workload for skilled operators and make every injection digitally traceable. Together, they developed a vaccination system designed for real farm conditions that is robust, easy to use, and digitally connected.
“The system’s core is a highly precise dosing mechanism, linked to CSEM-developed electronics and control software. Each trigger delivers a precisely measured vaccine volume,” explains Emmanuel Onillon, Project Officer Manager in Instrumentation at CSEM. By ensuring consistent doses, the system minimizes vaccine waste and prevents costly inaccuracies, helping farms save resources while maintaining herd health. This precision translates directly into cost reduction, as the tool ensures less vaccine wastage, fewer errors, and more predictable operations, all without adding complexity for operators.
The partners also embedded an app that automatically logs every injection (volume, time, and count), replacing handwritten records, which can easily be lost or damaged. This feature first showcased in Socorex’s winning entry for the 2023 CSEM Digital Journey Award, turns vaccination data into secure, tamper-proof digital records. Farms gain transparency and traceability for internal management and regulatory compliance. For producers, this means peace of mind and easier audits while regulators benefit from reliable, verifiable data.
Extensive lab and field tests confirmed the system’s performance: accurate dosing, dependable battery power, and stability under real-world farm conditions. “CSEM’s engineering rigor and understanding of field conditions were essential,” says Jean-Marc Ammann, Technical and Quality Manager at Socorex. “Together, we’ve created a Swiss-made solution that brings real value to veterinary professionals worldwide.”
Beyond the device itself, Socorex intends to explore the development of complementary digital services linked to this innovation. These may include optional online features such as dosage guidance and maintenance support. Such services could gain relevance over time as the technology matures and moves closer to broader deployment. For CSEM and Socorex, this project illustrates how Swiss technological expertise can contribute to more efficient farm operations while supporting animal welfare, food security, and responsible resource use, with potential benefits along the agricultural value chain.
Our ambition was to strengthen animal vaccination with greater precision and reliability, without forgetting to reduce the physical strain on the operators carrying out these activities. CSEM’s electronics and control expertise complemented our system, helping translate that vision into practical gains in accuracy, traceability, and day-to-day efficiency.
Visit CSEM’s Industry 4.0 section to see how we combine machine learning, sensing, and automation to deliver predictive maintenance, quality optimization, and real-time control. Or contact us through our form to start the conversation.