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Automatic back posture evaluation in dairy cows using a 3D camera

  • S. Viazzi
  • , T. Van Hertem
  • , C. E.B. Romanini
  • , C. Bahr
  • , I. Halachmi
  • , A. Schlageter Tello
  • , C. Lokhorst
  • , D. Rozen
  • , D. Berckmans

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

8 Scopus citations

Abstract

This study tested and evaluated a computer vision technique to automatically detect lameness in dairy cows. A three-dimensional camera system was used to extract the back posture of the animals automatically from a top view perspective. Four parameters to describe the curvature of the cow's back were used in a decision tree to classify cows as lame or not lame. The experiment was conducted at a commercial Israeli dairy farm and a dataset of 273 cows was recorded by the three-dimensional camera. The classification performance of the 3D algorithm was evaluated against the visual locomotion scores awarded by an expert veterinarian. The analysis resulted in a sensitivity of 75.0% and a specificity of 98% on a 2-point level scale (lame or not lame). These results show that it is possible to use a 3D camera in dairy farming in order to develop a fully automatic lameness monitoring tool for dairy farming.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationPrecision Livestock Farming 2013 - Papers Presented at the 6th European Conference on Precision Livestock Farming, ECPLF 2013
PublisherKatholieke Universiteit Leuven
Pages83-91
Number of pages9
ISBN (Print)9789088263330
StatePublished - 1 Jan 2013
Externally publishedYes
Event6th European Conference on Precision Livestock Farming, ECPLF 2013 - Leuven, Belgium
Duration: 10 Sep 201312 Sep 2013

Publication series

NamePrecision Livestock Farming 2013 - Papers Presented at the 6th European Conference on Precision Livestock Farming, ECPLF 2013

Conference

Conference6th European Conference on Precision Livestock Farming, ECPLF 2013
Country/TerritoryBelgium
CityLeuven
Period10/09/1312/09/13

Keywords

  • Back posture
  • Computer vision
  • Dairy cow
  • Lameness

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Animal Science and Zoology

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