Are sheep and goats soluble in Precision Livestock Farming?

Transcription

1 Are sheep and goats soluble in Precision Livestock Farming?

2 Are sheep and goats soluble in Precision Livestock Farming? François BOCQUIER Montpellier SupAgro, INRA Gérardo CAJA Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona G2R Grup Recerca Remugants

3 Are sheep and goats soluble in Precision Livestock Farming? 1. Introduction, context, definitions 2. Technological solutions 3. Technological projects 4. How to make LPF successful in sheep and goats 5. General conclusions 2

4 Introduction A lot of work has been done on dairy cattle (oestrus detection, lameness, concentrate feeding, milking robots ). Piggery and poultry buildings have been equipped with many automated solutions (cooling, feed distribution, sound analyses/ health problems). Practical solutions are now available for these farmers. What about sheep and goats farmers? Animals are too small? Cattle solutions are too expensive? Are there too many individuals? Is it because they live outdoors? What UAB and SupAgro did in this field? What are our lessons from PLF experience? 3

5 What is Precision Livestock Farming? Definition : PLF consists of measuring variables, modelling the data to select information, and then using these models in real-time for monitoring and controlling the animals (Berckmans, 2008) Variables that can be monitored by PLF are : surrounding environment (e.g., temperature, humidity, air speed, toxic gases), health (e.g., for instance coughing, body temperature, lameness), behaviour (e.g., activity, rumination, fighting), performances (e.g., milk yield, weight), use of livestock resources (e.g., feed, water, land surface), Originally intended for agronomy, the use of precision term in livestock must include the needs for freedoms required as animal welfare. Thus PLF should be used jointly with the concept of good practice (Caja et al., 2017). 4

6 Technical conventions: Sensor = sensitive element which collects and delivers electronic signals, Device = machine supporting the sensor, including calibration, signal treatment into numeric data and transmission, Transponder (transmitter-responder) = Radio-frequency device able to receive and transmit electronic signals (identification telegram), System = the device communicates through an information network which is able to analyse and compute comparisons and associations between other devices, Tool = The relevant information from the system is either transmitted to an automat or as a message to the farmer. 5

7 The example of œstrus detection tool Biology Movements Gait Initial choice Available solutions Sensor Device System Tool Micro circuit =MEMS Robustness Calibration False positive MEMS +battery +memory +box =Accelerometer Device +algorithm +data transfer Acceptability Costs Database +storage +modelling +display Œstrus detector

8 Farmers won t use sensors because they exist but because they are useful! So, only functional classifications are relevant because any sensors, device or system can be adapted and even hacked from existing solutions to achieve a new functional task on the farm. 6

9 Are sheep and goats soluble in Precision Livestock Farming? 1. Introduction, context, definitions 2. Technological solutions 3. Technological projects 4. How to make LPF successful in sheep and goats 5. General conclusions 7

10 Where e-id is a central technology : short distance between e-id and functions Main function Electronic Identification Auto-Drafter Milk recordings Feed distribution (DAC) Animal health Animal efficiency Additional device readers, writers presence, opening gates volumes, levels weight, time, volume ruminal sensors adjusted treatments auto weighing and intake 8

11 When another technology is developed around e-id or without e-id Secondary function Oestrus detection and male libido Virtual fencing Morphological assessments : Mammary health : Welfare Specific sensors accelerometry e-id sounds and stress image analysis retinal imaging infrared thermography animal networking Management in the fields geolocalization 16

12 Animal identification Aims Primary: Animal ID systems Tamper-proof & permanent ID Management of computerized Data Bases Animal health programs & traceability Secondary: Automation and precision farming Alternate solution (retinal imaging) Most of solutions include e-id - Reducing labor time & costs - Improving data management quality & time 17

13 Ear tag transponders 9

14 Reticulo-rumen bolus transponders Inert high density capsule Adult cattle Glass encapsulated passive transponder Heifers & calves Lambs Calves, sheep & goats Bolus guns 10

15 Reading distance of ear-tags FDX-B and HDX with readers from different firms FDX-B HDX, imax Plus;, Mini Max;, Gesreader Smart;, Gesreader GES2S;, Psion Workabout Pro 3;, Felixcan Universal 2 11

16 Medidor automático AfiFree 155i para ovino Certificado ICAR Precisión = ± 10 ml Parada automática Mando a distancia para control

17 NRA La Fage 12

18 Classification identification 14

19 Classification identification, concentrate distribution 15

20 Are sheep and goats soluble in Precision Livestock Farming? 1. Introduction, context, definitions 2. Technological solutions 3. Technological projects 4. How to make LPF successful in sheep and goats 5. General conclusions 18

21 Oestrus detection in small ruminants Impossible to equip each female of the flock. Idea: If the male carries a portable RFID reader in front of its waist, it would tell us which ewe accepted to be mounted! Principle: e-id + Trigger + Storage + Data Transfer + Data treatment = oestrus detection 19

22 Electronic Oestrus detection in small ruminants Pneumatic Trigger Battery Electronic device Alpha-Detector RFID antenna Equipped ram e-id Mounting and reading e-id Alpha-Receptor (Wallace, Cardet, France) 20

23 Cumulated number of mounts / ewe Œstrus distribution 17 days after hormonal synchronization of 60 merinos d Arles ewes. (Alhamada et al., 2016b) from 4 to 112 mounts/ ewe Œstrus duration : 16±11 h /11 D15 03/11 D16 04/11 D17 05/11 D18 06/11 D19 07/11 D20 08/11 D21 09/11 D22 88% of the ewes came back in œstrus days after previous hormonal synchronization 21

24 Oestrus detection in small ruminants : conclusions - e-id is central, - Original points solved : embedded RFID reader for the male energy saving process (trigger) - Remaining points to be solved : new site of e-id tagging of the ewes automated data treatment long range data transfer, i.e. Insemination Center Are breeders ready to adopt such a detector just because it limits use of hormonal treatments? Does it need to provide more services? 22

25 Animal network: how to improve the management of the flock? (Menassol INRA, Montpellier) Objective: - A flock does not behave as a sum of its individuals, - Individual behaviours are mostly unknown. Could knowledge of such a network help to install PLF devices on targeted animals only? Social organisation within a flock: - Specialized tasks dedicated to some individuals: feed search, exploration, resting awareness and alerts dominance for feed and reproduction - Preferential associations among individuals remain to be understood Remarkable individuals are identified by the shepherds but is it functional? 23

26 Means: - Each individual is equipped with a powered RF-chip - Connexions between all RF-chips every 5 minutes - Signal strength gives distances Mobile Node Master Node RF signal

27 who drives in this flock? Fundamental questions: Network transformation during a challenge: Feed availability (e.g. patches of grass) Grazing large areas (e.g. mountain pastures) Paddock transfers (e.g. good practices) Predation (e.g. early alerts) Sexual behaviour (e.g. males competition and performances) Practical applications: Innovative farming practices: target specific individuals to induce/facilitate collective behaviours Designation of animals to be equipped with LPS devices: reducing costs while maximizing efficiency on large flocks Good management practices that improve animal welfare at the individual and collective levels 25

28 Research project : Indirect estimation of individual feed intake at pasture (González-García et al.) Context: selection of more efficient animal through RFI (Residual Feed Intake) Limitation/ challenge: determining individual forage intake at pasture. Principle: differences in subsequent liveweight values during the day will be related to the ingested biomass. Corrections will be needed (solid and liquid) System: Weighing scale + Automatic sorting door + e-id + Attractor (drinking water, salt), Data treatments 26

29 Attractor Weighing Scale Data Storage Exit e-id Entrance 27

30 Preliminary results : indoor calibration Intake measured after each of the 2 daily meals 28

31 Research project : Indirect estimation of individual daily feed intake at pasture (González-García et al.) Lessons: - Technical mastery of electronic sensors, embedded computer, data treatments, sources of errors - Modification of livestock equipments - Animal training, patience One step toward other innovations: Auto-weighing in sheep industries, assisting critical decision making about individual performance, feed consumption, health status, sales 29

32 Are sheep and goats soluble in Precision Livestock Farming? 1. Introduction, context, definitions 2. Technological solutions 3. Technological projects 4. How to make LPF successful in sheep and goats 5. General conclusions 30

33 Some lessons from LPS experiences Electronic ID equipment is supposed to provide good quality data, easy handling of files and have few errors. How many readers are in use on farms? Out of animal inventories, what is e-id used for? Since some operations remains manual, technologies are not useful and are left aside. 31

34 Some lessons from LPS experiences The use of an auto-drafting with e-id system capable of separating animals upon criteria previously selected would be of high labour saving value. Some auto-drafter are too expensive, too complicated to operate. While others simply not work properly. Illusions that simplified practices, without any control, seems to be economical. Are-they really? How to make farmer invest if they don t imagine immediate benefits. 32

35 Milk recording is still a question of specialized technicians Are farmers concerned by milk recordings collections? How long does it takes to be back to farmers? Data presentation have been discussed with the farmer? Can data being regrouped to adjust animal group-feeding? Concentrate allowances for each animal? All collected data must be presented to the farmer, he should learn to use it and he asks for global services. 33

36 Automated concentrate feeders in the dairy sheep milking parlor should help producing more milk. Many feeders give a constant amount of concentrate. Individual adjustments lead to too sophisticated machines. Individual concentrate allocation should be reasoned in terms of risk of forage substitution and risk of r-acidosis. 34

37 Many challenges before their successful implementation Technical challenges Creation and stepwise adaptations, modelling, calibration (see before) this is the fields of research and is qualified as invention not innovation. Private firms are interested in promoting technological solutions to sell more services or goods. With no access to their algorithms and data. Necessity to improve its usefulness and demonstrate its usability on experimental farms. Working with early adopters will help improving. (Eastwood et al., 2015) 35

38 Socio-technical challenge (1/2). Farmers have empirical experience that has to be renewed, they must participate to creation of new knowledge and new practices. Innovative technologies must be inserted in a global approach of the farm functioning : avoid punctual gadgets. Agricultural engineers and technicians need to be clear to encourage farmers to invest time and money in chosen technologies: not only the purchase and installation but also early learning. Benefits should be highlighted even if first steps are not. 36

39 Socio-technical challenge (2/2). Specialised training and support are needed to enhance the skills of farmers, and the people who advise them both for pre-purchase and post purchase decision making. Successful precision farming practice requires agricultural engineers to link with industry-good organisations and end users to form a more complete technological innovation chain. 37

40 Are sheep and goats soluble in Precision Livestock Farming? 1. Introduction, context 2. Definitions and general trends 3. Technological solutions, projects 4. How to make LPF successful in sheep and goats 5. General conclusions 38

41 General conclusions (1/2) Sensors and devices diversity The main difficulty is to have them embedded, and operate in farming conditions (energy, robustness) Data transfer, and data ownership From animals to reader (wireless device are preferred), from the farm to datacentrer Efficient modelling signals Algorithm should be simple, adaptable and open-source Results presented to the farmer s needs Investments return to be estimated Workload, ethic, sustainability and costs 39

42 General conclusions (2/2) Our approach Continue working on prototype From Researches to the Farms Introduce PLF in graduates courses 2 courses in SupAgro Preparing a book for technicians (Educagri) Planned station for evaluation of PLF in France Demonstration, evaluation, teaching - SupAgro-INRA Le Merle station - recruitment of an engineer (2018) - versatile sheep barn ( ) - sellers and enterprises are expected International collaborations are whished 40

43 Are sheep and goats soluble in Precision Livestock Farming? François BOCQUIER Montpellier SupAgro, INRA Gérardo CAJA Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona G2R Grup Recerca Remugants