Animal protection and welfare monitoring using multi-sensor technology

Precision livestock farming offers unprecedented possibilities for monitoring of animal protection and welfare, capitalizing on the rapid digitalization, collection of Big Data and use of AI. We will construct an applicable and viable solution, built on cutting-edge multi-sensor technology and computer vision but considering social aspects, for continuous assessments of animal welfare. Work package (WP) 1 will focus on the technical development of the computer vision system and its application and validation. The target will be dairy cows and core animal-based welfare measures at the group level, such as cleanliness, wounds, rumen fill, lying/standing behaviour, ease of movement etc, but also explore an expansion into positive welfare signals. The system will be developed in a wellequipped research barn, but applied also in commercial farms. In WP2 we will assess the needs, worries and constraints of dairy farmers in relation to monitoring of animal protection and welfare. Finally, WP3 will interlink results of WP1 and WP2 in a participatory process, with multiple stakeholders, and applying Design Thinking, arriving at a solution that has the potential to be used and therefore useful to improve the welfare of dairy cattle.
The project is transdisciplinary and the project group has a solid knowledge of animal science, veterinary medicine, epidemiology, qualitative research methods, animal welfare, computer science, digitalization, statistics and product development.

Objectives

• Develop a computer vision-based sensor system to continuously record animal-based welfare measures of dairy cows at group level.
• Assess how farmers would value having a continuous monitoring of animal protection and welfare in dairy cattle herds.
• Compose a solution that is applicable and useful, considering technical possibilities and societal limitations.