| Technical note: a computerized system for monitoring feeding behavior and individual feed intake of dairy cattle. | |
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MedLine Citation:
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PMID: 15545384 Owner: NLM Status: MEDLINE |
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
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The objective of this study was to develop and validate a computerized system to monitor feeding behavior and feed intake of loose-housed dairy cattle. The system consisted of 28 scales located in front of each self-locking place of a regular feedbunk. All cows had access to all scales indifferently. Each visit to the feedbunk was monitored by a transponder in the ear of each cow that was detected by a proximity reader located at the top right corner of each headlock. The data from the scales and the proximity readers were continuously recorded by a computer with an average scanning time of 3.5 s. The monitoring system was validated using all 28 feeding places and 51 lactating cows in a series of 4-h observations during 5 different d. During the observation periods, for each feeder, 2 observers recorded the cow number and the exact time of the visit. The observed data were then compared with the computer records. To validate the ability of the system to monitor feed consumption, on separate days, the amount of feed consumed by a cow during a visit was also measured manually with an external scale, and the feed that disappeared from each scale in 2 different 24-h periods was compared with the sum of feed consumed in each scale during these 2 periods. The average time spent in a given scale by each cow determined by direct observations was similar to that determined by the computer. The system was accurate and showed a high specificity (98.8%) and sensitivity (99.6%) for cow detections. Feed weights determined by the computer system were similar to those measured manually with an external scale, implying that the system was also accurate in measuring individual intake weights. In conclusion, the system provided a reasonable estimate of the number of visits per animal, length of each visit, amount of feed consumed per visit and animal, the total amount of feed consumed daily by each animal, and the rate at which animals consume feed. |
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Authors:
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A Bach; C Iglesias; I Busto |
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Publication Detail:
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Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't; Validation Studies |
Journal Detail:
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Title: Journal of dairy science Volume: 87 ISSN: 0022-0302 ISO Abbreviation: J. Dairy Sci. Publication Date: 2004 Dec |
Date Detail:
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Created Date: 2004-11-16 Completed Date: 2005-04-18 Revised Date: 2006-11-15 |
Medline Journal Info:
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Nlm Unique ID: 2985126R Medline TA: J Dairy Sci Country: United States |
Other Details:
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Languages: eng Pagination: 4207-9 Citation Subset: IM |
Affiliation:
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Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), 08010 Barcelona, Spain. alex.bach@irta.es |
Export Citation:
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| MeSH Terms | |
Descriptor/Qualifier:
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Animals Cattle / physiology* Computers / standards* Dairying / instrumentation, methods* Eating Energy Intake Feeding Behavior* Female Reproducibility of Results Sensitivity and Specificity Time Factors Video Recording |
From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
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