Wolfger B, Jones B W, Orsel K, Bewley J M
Department of Production Animal Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, T2N 4N1.
Department of Animal and Food Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington 40546.
J Dairy Sci. 2017 Mar;100(3):2219-2224. doi: 10.3168/jds.2016-11527. Epub 2016 Dec 29.
Position tracking of cows within the barn environment allows for determining behavioral patterns and activities. Such data might be used for detection of estrus and disease. A newly marketed real-time location monitoring system (Smartbow, Smartbow GmbH, Weibern, Austria) was tested in this study. Cow location was continuously monitored with the Smartbow tags mounted on the cow's ear, which sends low-frequency signals to receivers further transmitting the information to a server. Through incoming data, the server triangulates the location of the cow within the barn environment in real time. The validation of the system was carried out in 4 steps. The first 2 steps served as static testing steps (tags and 1 cow positioned at 30 reference points), and steps 3 and 4 were dynamic steps with cows moving in the barn environment. For 48 h, locations of 15 cows were confirmed each hour by laser measurements performed by a team (step 3) or 1 observer (step 4). Interobserver variability was 0.83 m (range: 0.05 to 2.87 m), and intraobserver variability had a range of 0.02 to 0.31 m. In the 4 validation steps, the mean distance between observer laser measurements and Smartbow was between 1.22 and 1.80 m. Step 4, with 334 observations, resulted in a mean distance difference of 1.22 m (standard error = 1.32 m). Data can be used for development of algorithms to detect sick cows with changed behavioral patterns. Data may also be used to monitor cow responses to physical environment, potentially improving facility design. Time budgets in proximity to important barn features (i.e., feed bunk and water trough) and distances traveled can be calculated and used to identify cows in need of caretaker's attention and identify the cow's exact location in the barn.
对牛在畜舍环境中的位置进行跟踪，有助于确定其行为模式和活动。此类数据可用于发情和疾病检测。本研究对一款新上市的实时定位监测系统（Smartbow，Smartbow GmbH，奥地利魏伯恩）进行了测试。通过安装在牛耳朵上的Smartbow标签持续监测牛的位置，该标签会发送低频信号至接收器，再由接收器将信息进一步传输至服务器。服务器通过传入的数据实时对牛在畜舍环境中的位置进行三角测量。系统验证分4步进行。前两步为静态测试步骤（标签和1头牛放置在30个参考点），第3步和第4步为动态步骤，牛在畜舍环境中移动。在48小时内，由一个团队（第3步）或1名观察者（第4步）每小时通过激光测量确定15头牛的位置。观察者间的变异性为0.83米（范围：0.05至2.87米），观察者内的变异性范围为0.02至0.31米。在4个验证步骤中，观察者激光测量与Smartbow之间的平均距离在1.22至1.80米之间。第4步有334次观测，平均距离差为1.22米（标准误差 = 1.32米）。数据可用于开发算法，以检测行为模式发生变化的病牛。数据还可用于监测牛对物理环境的反应，有可能改进设施设计。可以计算靠近畜舍重要设施（即饲料槽和水槽）的时间预算以及行走的距离，用于识别需要饲养员关注的牛，并确定牛在畜舍中的准确位置。
