1
|
Cui W, Liu M, Gu T, Zhao S, Yin G. Multi-dimensional evaluation of pain response in low day-age calves to two types of dehorning. Front Vet Sci 2024; 11:1406576. [PMID: 38840635 PMCID: PMC11150829 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1406576] [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: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Dehorning calves is necessary to minimize injury because intensive raising circumstances make horned cows more aggressive. However, acute pain is commonly perceived by farm animals when undergoing painful practices such as dehorning, affecting their health status and quality of life. By quantifying the magnitude of pain and discomfort associated with dehorning, we aim to contribute to a more humane and sustainable cattle farming industry. Methods The objective of this study was to evaluate the behavioral, physiological, and emotional effects of acute dehorning pain in calves using two methods: dehorning cream and dehorning hot-iron.30 Holstein calves aged 4 days were selected for the study. These calves were randomly assigned to two experimental groups based on the method of disbudding: dehorning cream (n = 15) and hot-iron dehorning (n = 15). Before and after dehorning, we evaluated their physiological indicators of infrared eye temperature, concentrations of substance P, IL-6, cortisol, haptoglobin, as well as emotional state, and pain-related behavioral reactions. Results Post-dehorning, the duration of lying down decreased significantly in both groups (DI and DC: 0-4 h) after dehorning (p < 0.05). Both groups exhibited increased frequencies of pain-related behaviors such as head shaking (DI: 1-7 h, DC: 1-6 h), ear flicking (DI: 2-7 h, DC: 2-7 h), head scratching (DI: 2-3 h, DC: 1-7 h), and top scuffing (DI: 2 h, DC: 2-7 h) compared to pre-dehorning (p < 0.05). The DC group demonstrated a higher frequency of head-shaking, ear-flicking, head-scratching, and top-rubbing behaviors, along with a longer duration of lying down (0-4 h), compared to the DI group (p < 0.05). Post-dehorning, play behavior reduced significantly in both groups (6-8 h) (p < 0.05), whereas judgment bias and fear levels showed no significant change (p > 0.05). Physiological measures including eye temperature, and blood levels of substance P and IL-6, did not differ significantly between the groups before and after dehorning (p > 0.05). However, 48 h after dehorning, calves in the DC group had significantly higher haptoglobin levels compared to the DI group (p = 0.015). Additionally, salivary cortisol levels in the DC group increased significantly at 3.5 h and 7 h post-dehorning (p = 0.018, p = 0.043). Discussion Both hot-iron and cream dehorning induced pain in calves, as evidenced by increased pain-related behaviors, elevated salivary cortisol, and higher haptoglobin levels, alongside reduced positive behaviors. Notably, these effects were more pronounced in the DC group than in the DI group, suggesting that dehorning hot-iron may be a comparatively less stressful dehorning method for young calves. Moreover, the brief duration of pain response and weaker response to dehorning observed in 13-day-age calves in this study suggests that dehorning at younger ages may be more advisable and warrants further research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Weiguo Cui
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing, China
| | - Mengyu Liu
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing, China
| | - Tianyu Gu
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing, China
| | - Shuai Zhao
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing, China
- Key Laboratory of Exploration and Innovative Utilization of White Goose Germplasm Resources in the Cold Region of Heilongjiang Province, Daqing, China
| | - Guoan Yin
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing, China
- Key Laboratory of Exploration and Innovative Utilization of White Goose Germplasm Resources in the Cold Region of Heilongjiang Province, Daqing, China
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Luo Y, Xia J, Lu H, Luo H, Lv E, Zeng Z, Li B, Meng F, Yang A. Automatic Recognition and Quantification Feeding Behaviors of Nursery Pigs Using Improved YOLOV5 and Feeding Functional Area Proposals. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:569. [PMID: 38396538 PMCID: PMC10886382 DOI: 10.3390/ani14040569] [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: 12/08/2023] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
A novel method is proposed based on the improved YOLOV5 and feeding functional area proposals to identify the feeding behaviors of nursery piglets in a complex light and different posture environment. The method consists of three steps: first, the corner coordinates of the feeding functional area were set up by using the shape characteristics of the trough proposals and the ratio of the corner point to the image width and height to separate the irregular feeding area; second, a transformer module model was introduced based on YOLOV5 for highly accurate head detection; and third, the feeding behavior was recognized and counted by calculating the proportion of the head in the located feeding area. The pig head dataset was constructed, including 5040 training sets with 54,670 piglet head boxes, and 1200 test sets, and 25,330 piglet head boxes. The improved model achieves a 5.8% increase in the mAP and a 4.7% increase in the F1 score compared with the YOLOV5s model. The model is also applied to analyze the feeding pattern of group-housed nursery pigs in 24 h continuous monitoring and finds that nursing pigs have different feeding rhythms for the day and night, with peak feeding periods at 7:00-9:00 and 15:00-17:00 and decreased feeding periods at 12:00-14:00 and 0:00-6:00. The model provides a solution for identifying and quantifying pig feeding behaviors and offers a data basis for adjusting the farm feeding scheme.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yizhi Luo
- Institute of Facility Agriculture, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China; (Y.L.); (H.L.)
- State Key Laboratory of Swine and Poultry Breeding Industry, Guangzhou 510645, China; (H.L.); (E.L.); (B.L.); (F.M.)
| | - Jinjin Xia
- College of Engineering, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; (J.X.); (Z.Z.)
| | - Huazhong Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Swine and Poultry Breeding Industry, Guangzhou 510645, China; (H.L.); (E.L.); (B.L.); (F.M.)
| | - Haowen Luo
- Institute of Facility Agriculture, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China; (Y.L.); (H.L.)
- State Key Laboratory of Swine and Poultry Breeding Industry, Guangzhou 510645, China; (H.L.); (E.L.); (B.L.); (F.M.)
| | - Enli Lv
- State Key Laboratory of Swine and Poultry Breeding Industry, Guangzhou 510645, China; (H.L.); (E.L.); (B.L.); (F.M.)
- College of Engineering, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; (J.X.); (Z.Z.)
| | - Zhixiong Zeng
- College of Engineering, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; (J.X.); (Z.Z.)
| | - Bin Li
- State Key Laboratory of Swine and Poultry Breeding Industry, Guangzhou 510645, China; (H.L.); (E.L.); (B.L.); (F.M.)
| | - Fanming Meng
- State Key Laboratory of Swine and Poultry Breeding Industry, Guangzhou 510645, China; (H.L.); (E.L.); (B.L.); (F.M.)
- Institute of Animal Science, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangzhou 510645, China
| | - Aqing Yang
- College of Computer Science, Guangdong Polytechnic Normal University, Guangzhou 510665, China
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Comin M, Atallah E, Chincarini M, Mazzola SM, Canali E, Minero M, Cozzi B, Rossi E, Vignola G, Dalla Costa E. Events with Different Emotional Valence Affect the Eye's Lacrimal Caruncle Temperature Changes in Sheep. Animals (Basel) 2023; 14:50. [PMID: 38200782 PMCID: PMC10778003 DOI: 10.3390/ani14010050] [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: 12/01/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Infrared thermography (IRT) has been recently applied to measure lacrimal caruncle temperature non-invasively since this region is related to the sympathetic response, and it seems a promising technique that is able to infer negative emotions in sheep (e.g., fear). However, the scientific literature so far is limited in understanding whether a caruncle's temperature changes also in response to positive emotional states in sheep. Through classical conditioning, we aimed to assess how a positive or a negative event affects the physiological (lacrimal caruncle temperature measured with IRT and cortisol levels) and behavioral responses of sheep (ear position). Fourteen ewes from the same flock were randomly assigned to two treatment groups: positive (n = 7) and negative (n = 7). Each group was then trained through classical conditioning to associate a neutral auditory (ring bell) stimulus to an oncoming event: for the positive group, the presence of a food reward (maize grains), while for the negative one, the opening of an umbrella. After three weeks of training, before (at rest) and after (post-treatment), lacrimal caruncle temperature was non-invasively measured via IRT, and saliva samples were gently collected to measure cortisol levels. During treatment, sheep behavior was videorecorded and then analyzed using a focal animal sampling technique. At rest, the eye's lacrimal caruncle temperature was similar in both groups, while post-treatment, a significant increase was shown only in the negative group (t-test; p = 0.017). In the anticipation phase, sheep in the positive group kept their ears forward longer compared to those in the negative one (Mann-Whitney; p < 0.014), 8.3 ± 2.1 s and 5.2 ± 4.2 s, respectively. The behavioral response observed reflects a learnt association between a neutral stimulus and events with different emotional valence. Cortisol concentration slightly increased in both groups post-treatment. Our results confirm that IRT is a non-invasive technique that can be useful when applied to assess how positive and negative events may affect the physiological response in sheep.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marta Comin
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria e Scienze Animali, Università degli Studi di Milano, 26900 Lodi, Italy; (M.C.); (E.A.); (S.M.M.); (E.C.); (M.M.)
| | - Elie Atallah
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria e Scienze Animali, Università degli Studi di Milano, 26900 Lodi, Italy; (M.C.); (E.A.); (S.M.M.); (E.C.); (M.M.)
| | - Matteo Chincarini
- Facoltà di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Teramo, 64100 Teramo, Italy; (M.C.); (G.V.)
| | - Silvia Michela Mazzola
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria e Scienze Animali, Università degli Studi di Milano, 26900 Lodi, Italy; (M.C.); (E.A.); (S.M.M.); (E.C.); (M.M.)
| | - Elisabetta Canali
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria e Scienze Animali, Università degli Studi di Milano, 26900 Lodi, Italy; (M.C.); (E.A.); (S.M.M.); (E.C.); (M.M.)
| | - Michela Minero
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria e Scienze Animali, Università degli Studi di Milano, 26900 Lodi, Italy; (M.C.); (E.A.); (S.M.M.); (E.C.); (M.M.)
| | - Bruno Cozzi
- Dipartimento di Biomedicina Comparata e Alimentazione, Università degli Studi di Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy;
| | - Emanuela Rossi
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale dell’Abruzzo e del Molise G. Caporale, 64100 Teramo, Italy;
| | - Giorgio Vignola
- Facoltà di Medicina Veterinaria, Università degli Studi di Teramo, 64100 Teramo, Italy; (M.C.); (G.V.)
| | - Emanuela Dalla Costa
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria e Scienze Animali, Università degli Studi di Milano, 26900 Lodi, Italy; (M.C.); (E.A.); (S.M.M.); (E.C.); (M.M.)
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Neethirajan S. Artificial Intelligence and Sensor Technologies in Dairy Livestock Export: Charting a Digital Transformation. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 23:7045. [PMID: 37631580 PMCID: PMC10458494 DOI: 10.3390/s23167045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Revised: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023]
Abstract
This technical note critically evaluates the transformative potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and sensor technologies in the swiftly evolving dairy livestock export industry. We focus on the novel application of the Internet of Things (IoT) in long-distance livestock transportation, particularly in livestock enumeration and identification for precise traceability. Technological advancements in identifying behavioral patterns in 'shy feeder' cows and real-time weight monitoring enhance the accuracy of long-haul livestock transportation. These innovations offer benefits such as improved animal welfare standards, reduced supply chain inaccuracies, and increased operational productivity, expanding market access and enhancing global competitiveness. However, these technologies present challenges, including individual animal customization, economic analysis, data security, privacy, technological adaptability, training, stakeholder engagement, and sustainability concerns. These challenges intertwine with broader ethical considerations around animal treatment, data misuse, and the environmental impacts. By providing a strategic framework for successful technology integration, we emphasize the importance of continuous adaptation and learning. This note underscores the potential of AI, IoT, and sensor technologies to shape the future of the dairy livestock export industry, contributing to a more sustainable and efficient global dairy sector.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Suresh Neethirajan
- Department of Animal Science and Aquaculture, Faculty of Computer Science, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Maurício LS, Leme DP, Hötzel MJ. How to Understand Them? A Review of Emotional Indicators in Horses. J Equine Vet Sci 2023; 126:104249. [PMID: 36806715 DOI: 10.1016/j.jevs.2023.104249] [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: 11/26/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
Abstract
Stabled horses often experience negative emotions due to the inappropriate living conditions imposed by humans. However, identifying what emotions horses experience and what can trigger positive and negative emotions in stabled horses can be challenging. In this article we present a brief history of the study of emotions and models that explain emotions from a scientific point of view and the physiological bases and functions of emotions. We then review and discuss physiological and behavioral indicators and cognitive bias tests developed to assess emotions in horses. Hormone concentrations, body temperature, the position of the ears, facial expressions and behaviors, such as approach and avoidance behaviors, can provide valuable information about emotional states in horses. The cognitive bias paradigm is a recent and robust tool to assess emotions in horses. Knowing how to evaluate the intensity and frequency of an individual's emotions can guide horse owners and caretakers to identify practices and activities that should be stimulated, avoided or even banned from the individual's life, in favor of a life worth living. The development and validation of novel indicators of emotions considering positive and negative contexts can help in these actions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Letícia Santos Maurício
- Laboratory of Applied Ethology and Animal Welfare, Department of Animal Science and Rural Development, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Denise Pereira Leme
- Laboratory of Applied Ethology and Animal Welfare, Department of Animal Science and Rural Development, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Maria José Hötzel
- Laboratory of Applied Ethology and Animal Welfare, Department of Animal Science and Rural Development, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Seganfreddo S, Fornasiero D, De Santis M, Mutinelli F, Normando S, Contalbrigo L. A Pilot Study on Behavioural and Physiological Indicators of Emotions in Donkeys. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13091466. [PMID: 37174503 PMCID: PMC10177292 DOI: 10.3390/ani13091466] [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: 03/14/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Recognizing animal emotions is critical to their welfare and can lead to a better relationship with humans and the environment, especially in a widespread species like the donkey, which is often prone to welfare issues. This study aims to assess the emotional response of donkeys through an operant conditioning task with two presumed different emotional contents. Specifically, a within-subject design including positive and negative conditions was conducted, collecting behavioural and physiological (heart rate variability and HRV) parameters. Facial expressions, postures, and movements were analysed by principal component analysis and behavioural diversity indexes (frequencies, activity budgets, richness, Shannon and Gini-Simpson). During the positive condition, both ears were held high and sideways (left: r = -0.793, p < 0.0001; right: r = -0.585, p = 0.011), while the ears were frontally erected (left: r = 0.924, p < 0.0001; right: r = 0.946, p < 0.0001) during the negative one. The latter was also associated with an increased tendency to walk (r = 0.709, p = 0.001), walk away (r = 0.578, p = 0.012), more frequent changes in the body position (VBody position = 0, p = 0.022), and greater behavioural complexity (VGini-Simpson Index = 4, p = 0.027). As for HRV analysis, the root mean square of successive beat-to-beat differences (rMSSD) was significantly lower after the negative condition. These non-invasive parameters could be considered as possible indicators of donkeys' emotional state.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Samanta Seganfreddo
- National Reference Centre for Animal Assisted Interventions, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Viale dell'Università 10, 35020 Legnaro, Italy
| | - Diletta Fornasiero
- Epidemiology and Risk Analysis in Public Health, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Viale dell'Università 10, 35020 Legnaro, Italy
| | - Marta De Santis
- National Reference Centre for Animal Assisted Interventions, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Viale dell'Università 10, 35020 Legnaro, Italy
| | - Franco Mutinelli
- National Reference Centre for Animal Assisted Interventions, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Viale dell'Università 10, 35020 Legnaro, Italy
| | - Simona Normando
- Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, Università degli Studi di Padova, Viale dell'Università 14, 35020 Legnaro, Italy
| | - Laura Contalbrigo
- National Reference Centre for Animal Assisted Interventions, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie, Viale dell'Università 10, 35020 Legnaro, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Electroencephalogram and Physiological Responses as Affected by Slaughter Empathy in Goats. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13061100. [PMID: 36978640 PMCID: PMC10044356 DOI: 10.3390/ani13061100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2023] [Indexed: 03/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent advances in emotions and cognitive science make it imperative to assess the emotional stress in goats at the time of slaughter. The present study was envisaged to study the electroencephalogram and physiological responses as affected by slaughter empathy in goats. A total of 12 goats were divided into two groups viz., E-group (goats exposed to slaughter environment, n = 6) and S-group (goat slaughtered in front of E-group, n = 6). The electroencephalogram and physiological responses in male Boer cross goats (E-group) were recorded in a slaughterhouse in two stages viz., control (C) without exposure to the slaughter of conspecifics and treatment (T) while visualizing the slaughter of conspecifics (S—slaughter group). The exposure of the goat to the slaughter of a conspecific resulted in a heightened emotional state. It caused significant alterations in neurobiological activity as recorded with the significant changes in the EEG spectrum (beta waves (p = 0.000491), theta waves (p = 0.017), and median frequency MF or F50 (p = 0.002)). Emotional stress was also observed to significantly increase blood glucose (p = 0.031) and a non-significant (p = 0.225) increase in heart rate in goats. Thus, slaughter empathy was observed to exert a significant effect on the electric activity of neurons in the cerebrocortical area of the brain and an increase in blood glucose content.
Collapse
|
8
|
Součková M, Přibylová L, Jurčová L, Chaloupková H. Behavioural reactions of rabbits during AAI sessions. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2023.105908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/30/2023]
|
9
|
Kumar P, Ahmed MA, Abubakar AA, Hayat MN, Kaka U, Ajat M, Goh YM, Sazili AQ. Improving animal welfare status and meat quality through assessment of stress biomarkers: A critical review. Meat Sci 2023; 197:109048. [PMID: 36469986 DOI: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2022.109048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2022] [Revised: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Stress induces various physiological and biochemical alterations in the animal body, which are used to assess the stress status of animals. Blood profiles, serum hormones, enzymes, and physiological conditions such as body temperature, heart, and breathing rate of animals are the most commonly used stress biomarkers in the livestock sector. Previous exposure, genetics, stress adaptation, intensity, duration, and rearing practices result in wide intra- and inter-animal variations in the expression of various stress biomarkers. The use of meat proteomics by adequately analyzing the expression of various muscle proteins such as heat shock proteins (HSPs), acute phase proteins (APPs), texture, and tenderness biomarkers help predict meat quality and stress in animals before slaughter. Thus, there is a need to identify non-invasive, rapid, and accurate stress biomarkers that can objectively assess stress in animals. The present manuscript critically reviews various aspects of stress biomarkers in animals and their application in mitigating preslaughter stress in meat production.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pavan Kumar
- Institute of Tropical Agriculture and Food Security, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia; Department of Livestock Products Technology, College of Veterinary Science, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana, Punjab 141004, India
| | - Muideen Adewale Ahmed
- Institute of Tropical Agriculture and Food Security, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Abubakar Ahmed Abubakar
- Institute of Tropical Agriculture and Food Security, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Muhammad Nizam Hayat
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Ubedullah Kaka
- Department of Companion Animal Medicine and Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Mokrish Ajat
- Department of Veterinary Preclinical Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Yong Meng Goh
- Department of Veterinary Preclinical Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Awis Qurni Sazili
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia; Halal Products Research Institute, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Putra Infoport, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Precision Livestock Farming: What Does It Contain and What Are the Perspectives? Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13050779. [PMID: 36899636 PMCID: PMC10000125 DOI: 10.3390/ani13050779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 02/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Precision Livestock Farming (PLF) describes the combined use of sensor technology, the related algorithms, interfaces, and applications in animal husbandry. PLF technology is used in all animal production systems and most extensively described in dairy farming. PLF is developing rapidly and is moving beyond health alarms towards an integrated decision-making system. It includes animal sensor and production data but also external data. Various applications have been proposed or are available commercially, only a part of which has been evaluated scientifically; the actual impact on animal health, production and welfare therefore remains largely unknown. Although some technology has been widely implemented (e.g., estrus detection and calving detection), other systems are adopted more slowly. PLF offers opportunities for the dairy sector through early disease detection, capturing animal-related information more objectively and consistently, predicting risks for animal health and welfare, increasing the efficiency of animal production and objectively determining animal affective states. Risks of increasing PLF usage include the dependency on the technology, changes in the human-animal relationship and changes in the public perception of dairy farming. Veterinarians will be highly affected by PLF in their professional life; they nevertheless must adapt to this and play an active role in further development of technology.
Collapse
|
11
|
Fernández IG, Sifuentes L, Duarte G, Ulloa-Arvizu R, Peiró MJP. Social communication advances the onset of puberty and increase body weight in female goats reared as a group. Small Rumin Res 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.smallrumres.2022.106841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
|
12
|
Arndt SS, Goerlich VC, van der Staay FJ. A dynamic concept of animal welfare: The role of appetitive and adverse internal and external factors and the animal’s ability to adapt to them. FRONTIERS IN ANIMAL SCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fanim.2022.908513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal welfare is a multifaceted issue that can be approached from different viewpoints, depending on human interests, ethical assumptions, and culture. To properly assess, safeguard and promote animal welfare, concepts are needed to serve as guidelines in any context the animal is kept in. Several different welfare concepts have been developed during the last half decade. The Five Freedoms concept has provided the basis for developing animal welfare assessment to date, and the Five Domains concept has guided those responsible for safeguarding animal welfare, while the Quality of Life concept focuses on how the individual perceives its own welfare state. This study proposes a modified and extended version of an earlier animal welfare concept - the Dynamic Animal Welfare Concept (DAWCon). Based on the adaptability of the animal, and taking the importance of positive emotional states and the dynamic nature of animal welfare into account, an individual animal is likely in a positive welfare state when it is mentally and physically capable and possesses the ability and opportunity to react adequately to sporadic or lasting appetitive and adverse internal and external stimuli, events, and conditions. Adequate reactions are elements of an animal’s normal behavior. They allow the animal to cope with and adapt to the demands of the (prevailing) environmental circumstances, enabling it to reach a state that it perceives as positive, i.e., that evokes positive emotions. This paper describes the role of internal as well as external factors in influencing welfare, each of which exerts their effects in a sporadic or lasting manner. Behavior is highlighted as a crucial read-out parameter. As most animals under human care are selected for certain traits that may affect their behavioral repertoire it is crucial to have thorough ethograms, i.e., a catalogue of specific behaviors of the species/strain/breed under study. DAWCon highlights aspects that need to be addressed when assessing welfare and may stimulate future research questions.
Collapse
|
13
|
Dairy 4.0: Intelligent Communication Ecosystem for the Cattle Animal Welfare with Blockchain and IoT Enabled Technologies. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/app12147316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/10/2022]
Abstract
An intelligent ecosystem with real-time wireless technology is now playing a key role in meeting the sustainability requirements set by the United Nations. Dairy cattle are a major source of milk production all over the world. To meet the food demand of the growing population with maximum productivity, it is necessary for dairy farmers to adopt real-time monitoring technologies. In this study, we will be exploring and assimilating the limitless possibilities for technological interventions in dairy cattle to drastically improve their ecosystem. Intelligent systems for sensing, monitoring, and methods for analysis to be used in applications such as animal health monitoring, animal location tracking, milk quality, and supply chain, feed monitoring and safety, etc., have been discussed briefly. Furthermore, generalized architecture has been proposed that can be directly applied in the future for breakthroughs in research and development linked to data gathering and the processing of applications through edge devices, robots, drones, and blockchain for building intelligent ecosystems. In addition, the article discusses the possibilities and challenges of implementing previous techniques for different activities in dairy cattle. High computing power-based wearable devices, renewable energy harvesting, drone-based furious animal attack detection, and blockchain with IoT assisted systems for the milk supply chain are the vital recommendations addressed in this study for the effective implementation of the intelligent ecosystem in dairy cattle.
Collapse
|
14
|
Tuyttens FAM, Molento CFM, Benaissa S. Twelve Threats of Precision Livestock Farming (PLF) for Animal Welfare. Front Vet Sci 2022; 9:889623. [PMID: 35692299 PMCID: PMC9186058 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.889623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Research and development of Precision Livestock Farming (PLF) is booming, partly due to hopes and claims regarding the benefits of PLF for animal welfare. These claims remain largely unproven, however, as only few PLF technologies focusing on animal welfare have been commercialized and adopted in practice. The prevailing enthusiasm and optimism about PLF innovations may be clouding the perception of possible threats that PLF may pose to farm animal welfare. Without claiming to be exhaustive, this paper lists 12 potential threats grouped into four categories: direct harm, indirect harm via the end-user, via changes to housing and management, and via ethical stagnation or degradation. PLF can directly harm the animals because of (1) technical failures, (2) harmful effects of exposure, adaptation or wearing of hardware components, (3) inaccurate predictions and decisions due to poor external validation, and (4) lack of uptake of the most meaningful indicators for animal welfare. PLF may create indirect effects on animal welfare if the farmer or stockperson (5) becomes under- or over-reliant on PLF technology, (6) spends less (quality) time with the animals, and (7) loses animal-oriented husbandry skills. PLF may also compromise the interests of the animals by creating transformations in animal farming so that the housing and management are (8) adapted to optimize PLF performance or (9) become more industrialized. Finally, PLF may affect the moral status of farm animals in society by leading to (10) increased speciesism, (11) further animal instrumentalization, and (12) increased animal consumption and harm. For the direct threats, possibilities for prevention and remedies are suggested. As the direction and magnitude of the more indirect threats are harder to predict or prevent, they are more difficult to address. In order to maximize the potential of PLF for improving animal welfare, the potential threats as well as the opportunities should be acknowledged, monitored and addressed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Frank A. M. Tuyttens
- Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO), Merelbeke, Belgium
- Department of Veterinary and Biosciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
- *Correspondence: Frank A. M. Tuyttens
| | | | - Said Benaissa
- Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO), Merelbeke, Belgium
- Department of Information Technology, Ghent University/imec, Ghent, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Affective State Recognition in Livestock—Artificial Intelligence Approaches. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12060759. [PMID: 35327156 PMCID: PMC8944789 DOI: 10.3390/ani12060759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Emotions or affective states recognition in farm animals is an underexplored research domain. Despite significant advances in animal welfare research, animal affective state computing through the development and application of devices and platforms that can not only recognize but interpret and process the emotions, are in a nascent stage. The analysis and measurement of unique behavioural, physical, and biological characteristics offered by biometric sensor technologies and the affiliated complex and large data sets, opens the pathway for novel and realistic identification of individual animals amongst a herd or a flock. By capitalizing on the immense potential of biometric sensors, artificial intelligence enabled big data methods offer substantial advancement of animal welfare standards and meet the urgent needs of caretakers to respond effectively to maintain the wellbeing of their animals. Abstract Farm animals, numbering over 70 billion worldwide, are increasingly managed in large-scale, intensive farms. With both public awareness and scientific evidence growing that farm animals experience suffering, as well as affective states such as fear, frustration and distress, there is an urgent need to develop efficient and accurate methods for monitoring their welfare. At present, there are not scientifically validated ‘benchmarks’ for quantifying transient emotional (affective) states in farm animals, and no established measures of good welfare, only indicators of poor welfare, such as injury, pain and fear. Conventional approaches to monitoring livestock welfare are time-consuming, interrupt farming processes and involve subjective judgments. Biometric sensor data enabled by artificial intelligence is an emerging smart solution to unobtrusively monitoring livestock, but its potential for quantifying affective states and ground-breaking solutions in their application are yet to be realized. This review provides innovative methods for collecting big data on farm animal emotions, which can be used to train artificial intelligence models to classify, quantify and predict affective states in individual pigs and cows. Extending this to the group level, social network analysis can be applied to model emotional dynamics and contagion among animals. Finally, ‘digital twins’ of animals capable of simulating and predicting their affective states and behaviour in real time are a near-term possibility.
Collapse
|
16
|
Mota-Rojas D, Marcet-Rius M, Ogi A, Hernández-Ávalos I, Mariti C, Martínez-Burnes J, Mora-Medina P, Casas A, Domínguez A, Reyes B, Gazzano A. Current Advances in Assessment of Dog's Emotions, Facial Expressions, and Their Use for Clinical Recognition of Pain. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:3334. [PMID: 34828066 PMCID: PMC8614696 DOI: 10.3390/ani11113334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2021] [Revised: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Animals' facial expressions are involuntary responses that serve to communicate the emotions that individuals feel. Due to their close co-existence with humans, broad attention has been given to identifying these expressions in certain species, especially dogs. This review aims to analyze and discuss the advances in identifying the facial expressions of domestic dogs and their clinical utility in recognizing pain as a method to improve daily practice and, in an accessible and effective way, assess the health outcome of dogs. This study focuses on aspects related to the anatomy and physiology of facial expressions in dogs, their emotions, and evaluations of their eyebrows, eyes, lips, and ear positions as changes that reflect pain or nociception. In this regard, research has found that dogs have anatomical configurations that allow them to generate changes in their expressions that similar canids-wolves, for example-cannot produce. Additionally, dogs can perceive emotions similar to those of their human tutors due to close human-animal interaction. This phenomenon-called "emotional contagion"-is triggered precisely by the dog's capacity to identify their owners' gestures and then react by emitting responses with either similar or opposed expressions that correspond to positive or negative stimuli, respectively. In conclusion, facial expressions are essential to maintaining social interaction between dogs and other species, as in their bond with humans. Moreover, this provides valuable information on emotions and the perception of pain, so in dogs, they can serve as valuable elements for recognizing and evaluating pain in clinical settings.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Mota-Rojas
- Neurophysiology of Pain, Behavior and Animal Welfare Assessment, DPAA, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana (UAM), Mexico City 04960, Mexico; (A.C.); (A.D.); (B.R.)
| | - Míriam Marcet-Rius
- Animal Behaviour and Welfare Department, IRSEA (Research Institute in Semiochemistry and Applied Ethology), Quartier Salignan, 84400 Apt, France;
| | - Asahi Ogi
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (A.O.); (C.M.); (A.G.)
| | - Ismael Hernández-Ávalos
- Department of Biological Sciences, Clinical Pharmacology and Veterinary Anaesthesia, FESC, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuautitlán Izcalli 54714, Mexico;
| | - Chiara Mariti
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (A.O.); (C.M.); (A.G.)
| | - Julio Martínez-Burnes
- Animal Health Group, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma de Tamaulipas, Victoria City 87000, Mexico;
| | - Patricia Mora-Medina
- Department of Livestock Science, FESC, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Cuautitlán Izcalli 54714, Mexico;
| | - Alejandro Casas
- Neurophysiology of Pain, Behavior and Animal Welfare Assessment, DPAA, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana (UAM), Mexico City 04960, Mexico; (A.C.); (A.D.); (B.R.)
| | - Adriana Domínguez
- Neurophysiology of Pain, Behavior and Animal Welfare Assessment, DPAA, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana (UAM), Mexico City 04960, Mexico; (A.C.); (A.D.); (B.R.)
| | - Brenda Reyes
- Neurophysiology of Pain, Behavior and Animal Welfare Assessment, DPAA, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana (UAM), Mexico City 04960, Mexico; (A.C.); (A.D.); (B.R.)
| | - Angelo Gazzano
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (A.O.); (C.M.); (A.G.)
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Qiao Y, Kong H, Clark C, Lomax S, Su D, Eiffert S, Sukkarieh S. Intelligent Perception-Based Cattle Lameness Detection and Behaviour Recognition: A Review. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11113033. [PMID: 34827766 PMCID: PMC8614286 DOI: 10.3390/ani11113033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Revised: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Cattle lameness detection as well as behaviour recognition are the two main objectives in the applications of precision livestock farming (PLF). Over the last five years, the development of smart sensors, big data, and artificial intelligence has offered more automatic tools. In this review, we discuss over 100 papers that used automated techniques to detect cattle lameness and to recognise animal behaviours. To assist researchers and policy-makers in promoting various livestock technologies for monitoring cattle welfare and productivity, we conducted a comprehensive investigation of intelligent perception for cattle lameness detection and behaviour analysis in the PLF domain. Based on the literature review, we anticipate that PLF will develop in an objective, autonomous, and real-time direction. Additionally, we suggest that further research should be dedicated to improving the data quality, modeling accuracy, and commercial availability. Abstract The growing world population has increased the demand for animal-sourced protein. However, animal farming productivity is faced with challenges from traditional farming practices, socioeconomic status, and climate change. In recent years, smart sensors, big data, and deep learning have been applied to animal welfare measurement and livestock farming applications, including behaviour recognition and health monitoring. In order to facilitate research in this area, this review summarises and analyses some main techniques used in smart livestock farming, focusing on those related to cattle lameness detection and behaviour recognition. In this study, more than 100 relevant papers on cattle lameness detection and behaviour recognition have been evaluated and discussed. Based on a review and a comparison of recent technologies and methods, we anticipate that intelligent perception for cattle behaviour and welfare monitoring will develop towards standardisation, a larger scale, and intelligence, combined with Internet of things (IoT) and deep learning technologies. In addition, the key challenges and opportunities of future research are also highlighted and discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yongliang Qiao
- Australian Centre for Field Robotics (ACFR), Faculty of Engineering, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia; (H.K.); (S.E.); (S.S.)
- Correspondence:
| | - He Kong
- Australian Centre for Field Robotics (ACFR), Faculty of Engineering, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia; (H.K.); (S.E.); (S.S.)
| | - Cameron Clark
- Livestock Production and Welfare Group, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia; (C.C.); (S.L.)
| | - Sabrina Lomax
- Livestock Production and Welfare Group, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia; (C.C.); (S.L.)
| | - Daobilige Su
- College of Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China;
| | - Stuart Eiffert
- Australian Centre for Field Robotics (ACFR), Faculty of Engineering, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia; (H.K.); (S.E.); (S.S.)
| | - Salah Sukkarieh
- Australian Centre for Field Robotics (ACFR), Faculty of Engineering, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia; (H.K.); (S.E.); (S.S.)
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Neethirajan S. The Use of Artificial Intelligence in Assessing Affective States in Livestock. Front Vet Sci 2021; 8:715261. [PMID: 34409091 PMCID: PMC8364945 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.715261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
In order to promote the welfare of farm animals, there is a need to be able to recognize, register and monitor their affective states. Numerous studies show that just like humans, non-human animals are able to feel pain, fear and joy amongst other emotions, too. While behaviorally testing individual animals to identify positive or negative states is a time and labor consuming task to complete, artificial intelligence and machine learning open up a whole new field of science to automatize emotion recognition in production animals. By using sensors and monitoring indirect measures of changes in affective states, self-learning computational mechanisms will allow an effective categorization of emotions and consequently can help farmers to respond accordingly. Not only will this possibility be an efficient method to improve animal welfare, but early detection of stress and fear can also improve productivity and reduce the need for veterinary assistance on the farm. Whereas affective computing in human research has received increasing attention, the knowledge gained on human emotions is yet to be applied to non-human animals. Therefore, a multidisciplinary approach should be taken to combine fields such as affective computing, bioengineering and applied ethology in order to address the current theoretical and practical obstacles that are yet to be overcome.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Suresh Neethirajan
- Farmworx, Animal Sciences Department, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Happy Cow or Thinking Pig? WUR Wolf—Facial Coding Platform for Measuring Emotions in Farm Animals. AI 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/ai2030021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Emotions play an indicative and informative role in the investigation of farm animal behaviors. Systems that respond and can measure emotions provide a natural user interface in enabling the digitalization of animal welfare platforms. The faces of farm animals can be one of the richest channels for expressing emotions. WUR Wolf (Wageningen University & Research: Wolf Mascot), a real-time facial recognition platform that can automatically code the emotions of farm animals, is presented in this study. The developed Python-based algorithms detect and track the facial features of cows and pigs, analyze the appearance, ear postures, and eye white regions, and correlate these with the mental/emotional states of the farm animals. The system is trained on a dataset of facial features of images of farm animals collected in over six farms and has been optimized to operate with an average accuracy of 85%. From these, the emotional states of animals in real time are determined. The software detects 13 facial actions and an inferred nine emotional states, including whether the animal is aggressive, calm, or neutral. A real-time emotion recognition system based on YoloV3, a Faster YoloV4-based facial detection platform and an ensemble Convolutional Neural Networks (RCNN) is presented. Detecting facial features of farm animals simultaneously in real time enables many new interfaces for automated decision-making tools for livestock farmers. Emotion sensing offers a vast potential for improving animal welfare and animal–human interactions.
Collapse
|
20
|
Discomfort-related changes of call rate and acoustic variables of ultrasonic vocalizations in adult yellow steppe lemmings Eolagurus luteus. Sci Rep 2021; 11:14969. [PMID: 34294820 PMCID: PMC8298583 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-94489-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Potential of ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs) to reflect a degree of discomfort of a caller is mostly investigated in laboratory rats and mice but poorly known in other rodents. We examined 36 (19 male, 17 female) adult yellow steppe lemmings Eolagurus luteus for presence of USVs during 8-min experimental trials including 2-min test stages of increasing discomfort: isolation, touch, handling and body measure. We found that 33 of 36 individuals vocalized at isolation stage, i.e., without any human impact. For 14 (6 male and 8 female) individuals, a repeated measures approach revealed that increasing discomfort from isolation to handling stages resulted in increase of call power quartiles and fundamental frequency, whereas call rate remained unchanged. We discuss that, in adult yellow steppe lemmings, the discomfort-related changes of USV fundamental frequency and power variables follow the same common rule as the audible calls of most mammals, whereas call rate shows a different trend. These data contribute to research focused on searching the universal acoustic cues to discomfort in mammalian USVs.
Collapse
|