Heatwatch uses Radio Frequency Data Communication (RFDC) technology. A miniaturized radio transmitter (approximately 2"x3"x1") powered by a replaceable lithium battery is put inside a disposable fabric "patch" and glued onto the tailhead of the cow. When a cow is mounted, a radio signal containing data about that particular mount is sent to a small radio receiver housed in a central location. From the receiver, the data is sent to a buffer which is hard-wired to the breeder's personal computer (PC). The PC stores all incoming mounting information untill the breeder access the heat watch software, at which time the data is uploaded and activity reports are generated. These reports tell the breeder the likelihood of each cow being in heat.

Cows express heat by allowing other cows to mount them. Historically, heat detection has relied on intermittent visual of the herd possibly used in conjunction with heat detection aids such as tailhead chalk and mechanical pressure indicators. These conventional methods can yield false readings which result in breedres miscalculating the stage of the estrus cycle. For breeders, this means the brief window of opportunity for conception is missed, the cow is not artificially inseminated, and milk or meat profits are lost. By continuously monitoring target cows for mount activity, the HeatWatch system improves the efficiency of heat detection form the current rate of 50% in the USA, to near 95%. Because improved heat detection efficiency significantly impacts AI success rates, HeatWatch quickly provieds economic returns. In the USA, dairy farms using HeatWatch can usually expect a 100% return on their investment within one year, while beef operations will usually see a full return within one or two years.