Automated data recording at livestock farming

Background and Objective

Today's sensor technology offers many opportunities to optimize livestock farming. Because of the very large and confusing market for sensor systems, a comprehensive database will be built, that can be used by livestock farmers, science and research. The database of sensors for automated data recording at livestock farming shall provide information about what the sensor records, which technology is hidden behind each sensor and how it works in detail. Finally it is detected how the automated recorded data of the sensor works and is evaluated. To answer the questions detailed criteria, which allow a comparability between the sensors, are integrated into the database.

Approach

The ascertainment of marketable sensors is made with the help of an extensive database of manufacturer, which is processed chronologically. The information retrieval occurs with a literature research followed by a personally or written survey.

Our Research Questions

1. What does the sensor record in which areas?

2. Which technology is hidden behind each sensor and how does it work?

3. How does the data recording of the sensor work and how are these evaluated?

Results

• Database with 19 criteria for characterizing the sensor technologies was programmed
• 824 national and international companies were analyzed for sensor technologies for the animal species cattle, pig and poultry
• 355 sensor technologies could be analyzed (Cattle: 120, Pig: 63, Poultry: 101 and Universal: 71)
• in cattle farming, most of the sensors could be identified in milk production with the focus on specific animal data
• in pig farming, most of the sensors can be used universally in all types of production; the data collection is most often concerned in non-specific groups of animals, sensor technologies for recording of individual animal data could also be identified
• in the poultry farming, most of the sensors can be used universally in all types of production; the data collection is most often concerned in specific groups of animals, sensor technologies for recording of individual animal data could not be identified