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Simoni A, König F, Weimar K, Hancock A, Wunderlich C, Klawitter M, Breuer T, Drillich M, Iwersen M. Evaluation of sensor-based health monitoring in dairy cows: Exploiting rumination times for health alerts around parturition. J Dairy Sci 2024; 107:6052-6064. [PMID: 38554821 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2023-24313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
The use of sensor-based measures of rumination time as a parameter for early disease detection has received a lot of attention in scientific research. This study aimed to assess the accuracy of health alerts triggered by a sensor-based accelerometer system within 2 different management strategies on a commercial dairy farm. Multiparous Holstein cows were enrolled during the dry-off period and randomly allocated to conventional (CON) or sensor-based (SEN) management groups at calving. All cows were monitored for disorders for a minimum of 10 DIM following standardized operating procedures (SOP). The CON group (n = 199) followed an established monitoring protocol on the farm. The health alerts of this group were not available during the study but were later included in the analysis. The SEN group (n = 197) was only investigated when the sensor system triggered a health alert, and a more intensive monitoring approach was implemented according to the SOP. To analyze the efficiency of the health alerts in detecting disorders, the sensitivity (SE) and specificity (SP) of health alerts were determined for the CON group. In addition, all cows were divided into 3 subgroups based on their health status and the status of the health alerts in order to retrospectively compare the course of rumination time. Most health alerts (87%, n = 217) occurred on DIM 1. For the confirmation of diagnoses, health alerts showed SE and SP levels of 71% and 47% for CON cows. In SEN cows, SE of 71% and 75% and SP of 48% and 43% were found for the detection of ketosis and hypocalcemia, respectively. The rumination time of the subgroups was affected by DIM and the interaction between DIM and the status of health alert and health condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Simoni
- Clinical Unit for Herd Health Management in Ruminants, University Clinic for Ruminants, Department for Farm Animals and Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine, 1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - F König
- Clinical Unit for Herd Health Management in Ruminants, University Clinic for Ruminants, Department for Farm Animals and Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine, 1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - K Weimar
- Clinical Unit for Herd Health Management in Ruminants, University Clinic for Ruminants, Department for Farm Animals and Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine, 1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - A Hancock
- Zoetis International, D18 T3Y1 Dublin, Ireland
| | | | | | - T Breuer
- Zoetis Germany GmbH, 10785 Berlin, Germany
| | - M Drillich
- Unit for Reproduction Medicine and Udder Health, Clinic for Farm Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, 14163 Berlin, Germany
| | - M Iwersen
- Clinical Unit for Herd Health Management in Ruminants, University Clinic for Ruminants, Department for Farm Animals and Veterinary Public Health, University of Veterinary Medicine, 1210 Vienna, Austria.
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Hlimi A, El Otmani S, Elame F, Chentouf M, El Halimi R, Chebli Y. Application of Precision Technologies to Characterize Animal Behavior: A Review. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:416. [PMID: 38338058 PMCID: PMC10854988 DOI: 10.3390/ani14030416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
This study aims to evaluate the state of precision livestock farming (PLF)'s spread, utilization, effectiveness, and evolution over the years. PLF includes a plethora of tools, which can aid in a number of laborious and complex tasks. These tools are often used in the monitoring of different animals, with the objective to increase production and improve animal welfare. The most frequently monitored attributes tend to be behavior, welfare, and social interaction. This study focused on the application of three types of technology: wearable sensors, video observation, and smartphones. For the wearable devices, the focus was on accelerometers and global positioning systems. For the video observation, the study addressed drones and cameras. The animals monitored by these tools were the most common ruminants, which are cattle, sheep, and goats. This review involved 108 articles that were believed to be pertinent. Most of the studied papers were very accurate, for most tools, when utilized appropriate; some showed great benefits and potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdellah Hlimi
- Regional Center of Agricultural Research of Tangier, National Institute of Agricultural Research, Avenue Ennasr, BP 415 Rabat Principale, Rabat 10090, Morocco
- Laboratory of Mathematics and Applications, Faculty of Science and Technology, Abdelmalek Essaâdi University, Tangier 90000, Morocco
| | - Samira El Otmani
- Regional Center of Agricultural Research of Tangier, National Institute of Agricultural Research, Avenue Ennasr, BP 415 Rabat Principale, Rabat 10090, Morocco
| | - Fouad Elame
- Regional Center of Agricultural Research of Agadir, National Institute of Agricultural Research, Avenue Ennasr, BP 415 Rabat Principale, Rabat 10090, Morocco
| | - Mouad Chentouf
- Regional Center of Agricultural Research of Tangier, National Institute of Agricultural Research, Avenue Ennasr, BP 415 Rabat Principale, Rabat 10090, Morocco
| | - Rachid El Halimi
- Laboratory of Mathematics and Applications, Faculty of Science and Technology, Abdelmalek Essaâdi University, Tangier 90000, Morocco
| | - Youssef Chebli
- Regional Center of Agricultural Research of Tangier, National Institute of Agricultural Research, Avenue Ennasr, BP 415 Rabat Principale, Rabat 10090, Morocco
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Magana J, Gavojdian D, Menahem Y, Lazebnik T, Zamansky A, Adams-Progar A. Machine learning approaches to predict and detect early-onset of digital dermatitis in dairy cows using sensor data. Front Vet Sci 2023; 10:1295430. [PMID: 38105776 PMCID: PMC10722090 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1295430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The present study aimed to employ machine learning algorithms based on sensor behavior data for (1) early-onset detection of digital dermatitis (DD) and (2) DD prediction in dairy cows. Our machine learning model, which was based on the Tree-Based Pipeline Optimization Tool (TPOT) automatic machine learning method, for DD detection on day 0 of the appearance of the clinical signs has reached an accuracy of 79% on the test set, while the model for the prediction of DD 2 days prior to the appearance of the first clinical signs, which was a combination of K-means and TPOT, has reached an accuracy of 64%. The proposed machine learning models have the potential to help achieve a real-time automated tool for monitoring and diagnosing DD in lactating dairy cows based on sensor data in conventional dairy barn environments. Our results suggest that alterations in behavioral patterns can be used as inputs in an early warning system for herd management in order to detect variances in the health and wellbeing of individual cows.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Magana
- Department of Animal Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, United States
| | - Dinu Gavojdian
- Cattle Production Systems Laboratory, Research and Development Institute for Bovine, Balotesti, Romania
| | - Yakir Menahem
- Department of Computer Science, Holon Institute of Technology, Holon, Israel
| | - Teddy Lazebnik
- Department of Mathematics, Ariel University, Ariel, Israel
- Department of Cancer Biology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Anna Zamansky
- Tech4Animals Laboratory, Information Systems Department, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
| | - Amber Adams-Progar
- Department of Animal Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, United States
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Ha S, Kang S, Jung M, Jeon E, Hwang S, Lee J, Kim J, Bae YC, Park J, Kim UH. Retrospective study using biosensor data of a milking Holstein cow with jejunal haemorrhage syndrome. VET MED-CZECH 2023; 68:375-383. [PMID: 37981941 PMCID: PMC10646544 DOI: 10.17221/73/2023-vetmed] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Jejunal haemorrhage syndrome (JHS) is a sporadic and fatal enterotoxaemic disease in dairy cows associated with acute development and poor prognosis despite treatment. A 5-year-old Holstein cow with no reported pregnancy, three calving numbers, and 303 days in milk presented with hypothermia, discomfort, and inappetence. Anaemia, dehydration, faeces with blood clots, and absence of rumen and bowel movements were observed. We identified the presence of neutrophilia, hyperglycaemia, hypoproteinaemia, azotaemia, hyperlactatemia, hypocalcaemia, hypermagnesemia, hypokalaemia, and hypochloraemia through blood analyses. Necropsy and histopathologic examination revealed a dilated bluish-purple jejunum, blood clots within the jejunum, neutrophil infiltration into the submucosa of the jejunum, and vascular necrosis. Retrospective examination revealed extraordinary patterns of rumination time, activity, rumen mobility, and rumen temperature using biosensors and decreased milk yield. The abnormalities in the affected cow were detected before recognition by farm workers. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report to examine data from biosensors in a cow with JHS. Our findings suggest that using biometric data may help understand the development of JHS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seungmin Ha
- National Institute of Animal Science, Rural Development Administration, Cheonan-si, Chungcheongnam-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Seogjin Kang
- National Institute of Animal Science, Rural Development Administration, Cheonan-si, Chungcheongnam-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Mooyoung Jung
- National Institute of Animal Science, Rural Development Administration, Cheonan-si, Chungcheongnam-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Eunjeong Jeon
- National Institute of Animal Science, Rural Development Administration, Cheonan-si, Chungcheongnam-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Seongsoo Hwang
- National Institute of Animal Science, Rural Development Administration, Cheonan-si, Chungcheongnam-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Jihwan Lee
- National Institute of Animal Science, Rural Development Administration, Cheonan-si, Chungcheongnam-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Jongho Kim
- Pathologic Diagnostic Laboratory, Animal Disease Diagnostic Division, Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, Gimcheon-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do, Republic of Korea
| | - You-Chan Bae
- Pathologic Diagnostic Laboratory, Animal Disease Diagnostic Division, Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, Gimcheon-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Jinho Park
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Jeonbuk National University, Iksan-si, Jeollabuk-do, Republic of Korea
| | - Ui-Hyung Kim
- National Institute of Animal Science, Rural Development Administration, Cheonan-si, Chungcheongnam-do, Republic of Korea
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D'Urso PR, Arcidiacono C, Pastell M, Cascone G. Assessment of a UWB Real Time Location System for Dairy Cows' Monitoring. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 23:4873. [PMID: 37430784 DOI: 10.3390/s23104873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Revised: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023]
Abstract
In the field of precision livestock farming, many systems have been developed to identify the position of each cow of the herd individually in a specific environment. Challenges still exist in assessing the adequacy of the available systems to monitor individual animals in specific environments, and in the design of new systems. The main purpose of this research was to evaluate the performance of the SEWIO ultrawide-band (UWB) real time location system for the identification and localisation of cows during their activity in the barn through preliminary analyses in laboratory conditions. The objectives included the quantification of the errors performed by the system in laboratory conditions, and the assessment of the suitability of the system for real time monitoring of cows in dairy barns. The position of static and dynamic points was monitored in different experimental set-ups in the laboratory by the use of six anchors. Then, the errors related to a specific movement of the points were computed and statistical analyses were carried out. In detail, the one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was applied in order to assess the equality of the errors for each group of points in relation to their positions or typology, i.e., static or dynamic. In the post-hoc analysis, the errors were separated by Tukey's honestly significant difference at p > 0.05. The results of the research quantify the errors related to a specific movement (i.e., static and dynamic points) and the position of the points (i.e., central area, perimeter of the investigated area). Based on the results, specific information is provided for the installation of the SEWIO in dairy barns as well as the monitoring of the animal behaviour in the resting area and the feeding area of the breeding environment. The SEWIO system could be a valuable support for farmers in herd management and for researchers in the analysis of animal behavioural activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Provvidenza Rita D'Urso
- Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment (Di3A)-Building and Land Engineering Section, University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia n° 100, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Claudia Arcidiacono
- Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment (Di3A)-Building and Land Engineering Section, University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia n° 100, 95123 Catania, Italy
| | - Matti Pastell
- Natural Resources Institute Finland, Luke Latokartanonkaari 9, 00790 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Giovanni Cascone
- Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment (Di3A)-Building and Land Engineering Section, University of Catania, Via Santa Sofia n° 100, 95123 Catania, Italy
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Improved cattle behaviour monitoring by combining Ultra-Wideband location and accelerometer data. Animal 2023; 17:100730. [PMID: 36868057 DOI: 10.1016/j.animal.2023.100730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Revised: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Cattle behaviour is fundamentally linked to the cows' health, (re)production, and welfare. The aim of this study was to present an efficient method to incorporate Ultra-Wideband (UWB) indoor location and accelerometer data for improved cattle behaviour monitoring systems. In total, 30 dairy cows were fitted with UWB Pozyx wearable tracking tags (Pozyx, Ghent, Belgium) on the upper (dorsal) side of the cow's neck. In addition to the location data, the Pozyx tag reports accelerometer data as well. The combination of both sensor data was performed in two steps. In the first step, the actual time spent in the different barn areas was calculated using location data. In the second step, accelerometer data were used to classify cow behaviour using the location information of step 1 (e.g., a cow located in the cubicles cannot be classified as feeding, or drinking). A total of 156 hours of video recordings were used for the validation. For each hour of data, the total time each cow spent in each area and performing which behaviours (feeding, drinking, ruminating, resting, and eating concentrates) were computed using the sensors and compared against annotated video recordings. Bland-Altman plots for the correlation and difference between the sensors and the video recording were then computed for the performance analysis. The overall performance of locating the animals into the correct functional areas was very high. The R2 was 0.99 (P < 0.001), and the root-mean-square error (RMSE) was 1.4 min (7.5% of the total time). The best performance was obtained for the feeding and lying areas (R2 = 0.99, P < 0.001). Performance was lower in the drinking area (R2 = 0.90, P < 0.01) and the concentrate feeder (R2 = 0.85, P < 0.05). For the combined location + accelerometer data, high overall performance (all behaviours) was obtained with an R2 of 0.99 (P < 0.001) and a RMSE of 1.6 min (12% of the total time). The combination of location and accelerometer data improved the RMSE of the feeding time and ruminating time compared to the accelerometer data alone (2.6-1.4 min). Moreover, the combination of location and accelerometer enabled accurate classification of additional behaviours that are difficult to detect using the accelerometer alone, such as eating concentrates and drinking (R2 = 0.85 and 0.90, respectively). This study demonstrates the potential of combining accelerometer and UWB location data for the design of a robust monitoring system for dairy cattle.
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Gabrieli R, Malkinson D. Social organization and fitness response in grazing beef cows – understanding through interactions and activity measuring. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2022.105723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Assessment of the Relationship between Postpartum Health and Mid-Lactation Performance, Behavior, and Feed Efficiency in Holstein Dairy Cows. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11051385. [PMID: 34068147 PMCID: PMC8153007 DOI: 10.3390/ani11051385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Revised: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The objective of this study was to investigate the relationships between postpartum health disorders and mid-lactation performance, feed efficiency, and sensor-derived behavioral traits. Multiparous cows (n = 179) were monitored for health disorders for 21 days postpartum and enrolled in a 45-day trial between 50 to 200 days in milk, wherein feed intake, milk yield and components, body weight, body condition score, and activity, lying, and feeding behaviors were recorded. Feed efficiency was measured as residual feed intake and the ratio of fat- or energy-corrected milk to dry matter intake. Cows were classified as either having hyperketonemia (HYK; n = 72) or not (n = 107) and grouped by frequency of postpartum health disorders: none (HLT; n = 94), one (DIS; n = 63), or ≥2 (DIS+; n = 22). Cows that were diagnosed with HYK had higher mid-lactation yields of fat- and energy-corrected milk. No differences in feed efficiency were detected between HYK or health status groups. Highly active mid-lactation time was higher in healthy animals, and rumination time was lower in ≥4th lactation cows compared with HYK or DIS and DIS+ cows. Differences in mid-lactation behaviors between HYK and health status groups may reflect the long-term impacts of health disorders. The lack of a relationship between postpartum health and mid-lactation feed efficiency indicates that health disorders do not have long-lasting impacts on feed efficiency.
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