Autonomous System for Monitoring and Managing Cattle Behavior

Kantemir Chamalovich Bzhikhatlov; Aslan Uzeirovich Zammoev; Inna Auesovna Pshenokova

Kantemir Chamalovich Bzhikhatlov Kabardino-Balkarian Scientific Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0924-0193
Aslan Uzeirovich Zammoev Kabardino-Balkarian Research Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7966-3557
Inna Auesovna Pshenokova Kabardino-Balkarian Research Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3394-7682

Keywords: Cattle, Wearables, Internet of Things, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Multi-Agent Architectures

Abstract

Behavior and health monitoring systems are designed to improve herd manage-ment and animal welfare through data collection and analysis. Such systems al-low for online detection of changes in animal activity and behavior, optimization of feeding systems, management of reproduction procedures, remote monitoring of cattle, and improvement of overall herd management through data-driven an-alytics and AI-based predictive analytics. In this paper, we propose a concept for using an intelligent wearable device on an animal not only to collect data, but also to influence cattle through various effectors. Such influence will allow for the formation of complex conditioned reflexes that ensure animal behavior con-sistent with the state and operating modes of the technical system of the produc-tion environment. In our opinion, this will allow for automated animal training (“intelligent training”) by reinforcing the required behavior, which in turn will allow for setting the most effective behavior (feeding and movement patterns) for the animal to achieve the required economically significant parameters. To test the capabilities of the developed system for monitoring and managing cattle behav-ior, a prototype of a wearable device in the form of a collar for cows was devel-oped and manufactured.