6 technologies to lower costs and increase dairy farming efficiency
Rapid global growth in the scale of dairy cattle enterprises increases the need for precision technologies to control qualitative and quantitative parameters related to animal health and welfare. Data-generating technologies integrate communication systems, data and information technologies and sustainable devices to improve production efficiency and lower operational and labour costs.
Cameras
Cameras are used to capture an image or record a video of dairy cows. The sensor inside the camera can be either a photographic film, which usually needs post-processing of the films, or a digital sensor where images can be viewed, stored, edited, and transferred digitally using computers.
Cameras are utilised to measure deviations from normal standing posture, gait parameters, and behaviour. Then, data and image analysis are applied to create an accurate, inexpensive, reliable, and robust lameness detection system for farm environment. In addition, video imaging can be used to assess body condition scores, and dominance structure, and to facilitate working on social relationships in dairy cows.
Microphones
Microphones perceive sound waves and translate them into electrical signals. Microphones have been developed in a variety of configurations based on their application purpose. Microphones have the potential to automatically detect coughing as a measure of respiratory diseases with a precision of 53.8% to 80%.
Accelerometers
Accelerometers continuously record and characterise the alterations in activity data by measuring the motion parameters. Accelerometers can predict lameness in dairy cows 3-10 days before the farmers can visually capture it. Leg and neck-mounted accelerometers are used to accurately quantify cows’ lying, standing, and feeding behaviours.
Furthermore, ear tag accelerometers can determine rumination, eating, and activity behaviours of grazing dairy cattle, while accelerometers mounted on the cow’s body in the form of ear tags, halters, neck collars, reticulo-rumen bolus sensors, leg tags, tail tags, tail head tags, and vaginal tags collect physiological and behavioural data to predict, detect, and diagnose mastitis in dairy cattle.
Infrared thermography
Infrared thermography is an emerging, non-invasive diagnostic tool that converts the infrared radiation emitted from the skin surface of the animal into pixel intensity and generates thermographic images. Infrared thermography technology shows alterations in thermal biological characteristics in animal metabolism and detects health issues such as mastitis, physiological characteristics, stress, temperament, and the oestrus of dairy cattle.
Pressure mat, force plate and weighing platform
Pressure mat, force plate and weighing platform measure, detect, and analyse any exerted force that stands or walks on them. Pressure mats include pressure sensors that detect any contact with them at any time and determine peak vertical force and vertical impulse.
Force plates measure the ground reaction forces that are in contact with them, and weighing platforms are comprised of adjustable weights and a lever system that calculates the weight or force of heavy objects. Pressure mats, force plates, and weighing platforms have promising potential to detect lameness in dairy cattle.
Deep learning and augmented reality
Deep learning, a subset of machine learning, applies multi-layered neural networks to simulate the decision-making power of the human brain. Machine learning and deep learning technologies are among the latest technologies used to automate oestrus detection. In addition, deep learning can detect mastitis with an average accuracy of 96.1%. On the other hand, augmented reality combines physical and virtual objects over the real environment and enhances farm management by providing real-time access to milking, feeding, and breeding details of dairy cattle to improve efficiency and accuracy in farm operations.
Conclusion
Data-generating technologies improve the ability of dairy farmers to monitor individual animals in the growing dairy industry’s intensification. In addition, these technologies improve production efficiency, lower operational costs, and provide reliable and accurate data for management purposes.
With expedited digital transformations and revolution in technology, several emerging technologies are paving their way to a more advanced futuristic version. As a result, the dairy industry needs to be trained to adopt the new technological revolution, and the engineering community needs to know the demand for the potential opportunity to advance the devices and tools for more efficient applications in the field.
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