Assessment of Dairy Cattle Welfare through Acoustic Analysis: preliminary results using a digital phonendoscope
* Presenting author
Abstract:
The efficiency of dairy cattle production is crucial in a context of population growth. Last decades, animal welfare has become a fundamental concern for consumers and for the dairy industry. In addition, evidence shows that improving the welfare of cows increases their production efficiency, the economic return of dairy farms and their environmental impact. The animal welfare assessment normally relies on temporary indicators. Tools available for this purpose are costly, time consuming, discontinued and sometimes invasive. Bioacoustics assessment of the internal organs of cows through a phonendoscope-like device is non-invasive and can continuously inform about the welfare status at an individual cow. This contribution shows the preliminary results of an acoustic analysis of the feasibility of listening to organ sounds in cows. Several acoustic measurements identified as respiration, cardiac impulses and peristaltic movements were tagged by an expert using a digital phonendoscope. In this work we describe the acoustic characterization of these signals. The cardiac impulses are present in most of the measurements, respiration and peristaltic movements are harder to identify and find in the recording campaign conducted. These preliminary results are encouraging, artificial intelligence might assist to the assessment of the cows welfare using a non-invasive and permanent system.