C-Lock Inc. was born from a bold idea: that environmental and agricultural challenges could be solved through uncompromising science, precision measurement, and innovation that serves both people and the planet.
Dr. Pat Zimmerman—an internationally respected atmospheric chemist whose research helped shape the global understanding of greenhouse gases—had spent decades studying methane emissions across the Amazon, Africa, Asia, and North America. From biogeochemical field research to pioneering methods for measuring emissions from cattle, one truth became clear to him: progress depends on accurate, traceable, and actionable data.
Determined to bring research-grade precision directly to animal agriculture, Pat cashed in his retirement savings and, alongside his sons Scott and Tom Zimmerman and longtime collaborator Mike Billars, founded C-Lock Inc. Pat took no salary for the company’s first five years, reinvesting everything into building technology that didn’t yet exist—but desperately needed to.
Working out of a garage, the four founders shared a clear mission: deliver the most accurate animal emissions data in the world to researchers, producers, and corporations so they could make better decisions about climate impact, operational efficiency, and profitability. They believed that improving productivity and mitigating greenhouse gases were not competing goals—but complementary ones.
That belief led to the development of the first GreenFeed® system.
The original GreenFeed unit revolutionized livestock emissions measurement by enabling direct, animal-level quantification of methane, CO₂, and hydrogen. What began as a bold experiment quickly became the global standard for research-grade ruminant emissions monitoring. It propelled C-Lock from a small startup into a company at the center of climate-smart agriculture.
But hardware was only part of the innovation.
From the beginning, C-Lock understood that precision measurement requires more than sensors—it requires intelligent data systems. Mike Billars and Scott Zimmerman built and continue to oversee C-Lock’s advanced data and analytics platform, transforming raw instrument signals into clean, calibrated, validated datasets and customer-facing reports trusted by researchers worldwide. The platform automatically detects valid animal visits, corrects for environmental variables, ensures full traceability, and manages one of the largest archives of cattle emissions data in existence.
Systems Deployed Globally
Countries Using C-Lock Systems
Employees Across USA, Australia Europe
Data Points Collected & Stores
Dr. Pat Zimmerman remains CEO, continuing to guide the company with the same scientific rigor and entrepreneurial spirit that launched it in 2005.
Scott Zimmerman, President of C-Lock Inc., leads the company’s strategic direction and international collaborations, expanding C-Lock’s global reach and impact.
Tom Zimmerman, Chief Technology Officer, oversees product innovation and engineering, ensuring that C-Lock systems remain the global standard in research-grade measurement technology.
Mike Billars, Vice President of Data Insight Services, oversees data insights and analytics team, continuing to supply our clients with the world's cleanest, most accurate ruminant performance and emissions measurements.
What began as a retirement-funded idea in a garage has become a global leader in environmental measurement technology—empowering science, advancing sustainable agriculture, and helping the world make smarter climate decisions.
