Kleanthous Natasa, Hussain Abir, Sneddon Jennifer, Khan Wasiq, Khan Bilal, Aung Zeyar, Liatsis Panos
Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi P.O. Box 127788, United Arab Emirates.
Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Sharjah, Sharjah P.O. Box 27272, United Arab Emirates.
Animals (Basel). 2022 Oct 25;12(21):2920. doi: 10.3390/ani12212920.
Fencing in livestock management is essential for location and movement control yet with conventional methods to require close labour supervision, leading to increased costs and reduced flexibility. Consequently, virtual fencing systems (VF) have recently gained noticeable attention as an effective method for the maintenance and control of restricted areas for animals. Existing systems to control animal movement use audio followed by controversial electric shocks which are prohibited in various countries. Accordingly, the present work has investigated the sole application of audio signals in training and managing animal behaviour. Audio cues in the range of 125-17 kHz were used to prohibit the entrance of seven Hebridean ewes from a restricted area with a feed bowl. Two trials were performed over the period of a year which were video recorded. Sound signals were activated when the animal approached a feed bowl and a restricted area with no feed bowl present. Results from both trials demonstrated that white noise and sounds in the frequency ranges of 125-440 Hz to 10-17 kHz successfully discouraged animals from entering a specific area with an overall success rate of 89.88% (white noise: 92.28%, 10-14 kHz: 89.13%, 15-17 kHz: 88.48%, 125-440 Hz: 88.44%). The study demonstrated that unaided audio stimuli were effective at managing virtual fencing for sheep.
在牲畜管理中，围栏对于定位和移动控制至关重要，但传统方法需要密切的人工监督，这会导致成本增加和灵活性降低。因此，虚拟围栏系统（VF）作为一种维护和控制动物受限区域的有效方法，最近受到了显著关注。现有的控制动物移动的系统使用音频，随后是有争议的电击，而电击在各个国家都是被禁止的。因此，本研究探讨了音频信号在训练和管理动物行为方面的单独应用。使用125 - 17千赫兹范围内的音频提示来阻止七只赫布里底母羊进入设有食槽的受限区域。在一年的时间里进行了两次试验，并进行了视频记录。当动物靠近食槽以及没有食槽的受限区域时，声音信号被激活。两次试验的结果都表明，白噪声以及125 - 440赫兹至10 - 17千赫兹频率范围内的声音成功地阻止了动物进入特定区域，总体成功率为89.88%（白噪声：92.28%，10 - 14千赫兹：89.13%，15 - 17千赫兹：88.48%，125 - 440赫兹：88.44%）。该研究表明，单纯的音频刺激在管理绵羊的虚拟围栏方面是有效的。
