AsianScientist (July 7, 2017) – Using a Microsoft Kinect and artificial intelligence (AI), researchers at Osaka University have developed a system that can detect hoof disease in cows with an accuracy of 99 percent or higher.
Hoof health is an important aspect of proper dairy cattle care. If left untreated, injuries and illnesses of hooves, called lameness, will lead not only to declining quantity and quality of dairy products, but also to life-threatening diseases. Indicators for lameness are manifested in back arch and gait patterns of cows, however, current methods are only effective at detecting moderate to severe lameness and cannot be used for early detection.
Instead, the Osaka University researchers used AI-powered image analysis. They first waterproofed and dustproofed a Microsoft Kinect and set it in a cowshed at Rakuno Gakuen University. Based on the large number of cow gait images taken by this sensor, the group was able to detect cows with lameness using machine learning.
“Our achievements will mark the start of techniques for monitoring cows using AI-powered image analysis,” said team leader Professor Yagi Yasushi. “This will contribute to realizing a smart cowhouse interlocked with an automatic milking machine and feeding robot, both of which have already been introduced to some dairy farms, as well as wearable sensors attached to cows under study.”
“By finely adjusting the amount of expressed milk and the amount of feed as well as by showing farmers cow conditions in detail through automatic analysis of cow conditions, we can realize a new era of dairy farming in which farmers can focus entirely on health management of their cows and delivering high-quality dairy products.”
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Source: Osaka University.
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