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Digitalised animal welfare
Photo: Per Peetz Nielsen

Animal protection and welfare monitoring using multi-sensor technology

The overall aim is to provide a viable solution for continuous monitoring of animal protection and welfare status of groups of dairy cows by using digital tools such as innovative multi-sensors, Big Data and AI technologies. The solution is intended for use by farmers to improve their stockmanship, which is the key to improved animal welfare.

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.

Summary

Project name

Digitized animal welfare

Status

Active

RISE role in project

Deltagare

Project start

Duration

4

Total budget

8 000 000

Partner

VÄXA Sverige, Sony Nordic

Funders

FORMAS

Coordinators

Project members

Supports the UN sustainability goals

2. Zero hunger
8. Decent work and economic growth
9. Industry, innovation and infrastructure
12. Responsible consumption and production
Per Peetz Nielsen

Contact person

Per Peetz Nielsen

Senior Forskare

+46 10 516 69 29

Read more about Per Peetz

Contact Per Peetz
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