In Japan, a group of researchers led by Osaka University developed an early detection method for cow lameness, a major disease of dairy cattle using human gait analysis. With the goal of realizing a smart cowhouse, the team developed this technique for monitoring dairy cattle health with high frequency, accuracy and without the farmer being directly involved.
Using a camera and artificial intelligence and based on the large number of cow gait images taken by this sensor, the team characterized cow gaits, detecting cows with lameness through machine learning with 99 percent accuracy.
“Our achievements will mark the start of techniques for monitoring cows using AI-powered image analysis,” says Professor Yagi. “This will contribute largely 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.”