CN212589620U - Activity detection apparatus for detecting activity of livestock - Google Patents
Activity detection apparatus for detecting activity of livestock Download PDFInfo
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- CN212589620U CN212589620U CN201890000939.XU CN201890000939U CN212589620U CN 212589620 U CN212589620 U CN 212589620U CN 201890000939 U CN201890000939 U CN 201890000939U CN 212589620 U CN212589620 U CN 212589620U
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
- A01K—ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS
- A01K29/00—Other apparatus for animal husbandry
- A01K29/005—Monitoring or measuring activity, e.g. detecting heat or mating
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
- A01K—ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS
- A01K1/00—Housing animals; Equipment therefor
- A01K1/015—Floor coverings, e.g. bedding-down sheets ; Stable floors
- A01K1/0151—Grids; Gratings; Slatted floors
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Abstract
The present invention relates to an activity detection apparatus for detecting activity of livestock, comprising: an acceleration sensor (30) having a fastening device (31) for fastening the acceleration sensor (30) in a stationary manner on a section (200) of a floor standing surface (10) of the livestock breeding fence; a data processing device which is connected with the acceleration sensor (30) through signals and is configured to detect the acceleration of a section (200) of a floor standing surface (10) of the livestock raising fence and calculate the calculated livestock activity from the acceleration; and an electronic interface configured to transmit signals of the calculated livestock activity.
Description
Technical Field
The utility model relates to a device for domestic animal activity detects.
Devices and methods for activity detection are used in particular in modern animal husbandry in order to identify specific behavioral patterns and identify abnormalities of livestock based on their activity. The identifiable abnormal behavior patterns include, for example, behavior patterns typical of diseases, cannibalism, tail biting, sexual behavior in use, etc. If the corresponding animal activity has been previously determined, so-called abnormalities can be controlled, reduced or prevented by regulating environmental conditions, for example temperature changes or ventilation, giving special feeds, animal medical research or sending the livestock to another living area.
An activity detection process is understood here to mean an at least partially automated process in which the behavior of an animal or a group of animals is determined, or the behavior which predominantly occurs in a group of animals. In particular, an activity detection process can also be understood as a process in which a behavior pattern of a group of livestock or a main behavior pattern of a group of livestock can be identified by matching the detected activity with known normal patterns, individual experience values and event expectations. During such livestock activity detection or preparation phase, it can be particularly desirable to collect empirical values about the livestock or livestock group, in order to be able to identify abnormal behaviour patterns.
Background
In DE 102006018545B 4 and DE 202016003420U 1, two systems for activity detection are implemented in quadrupeds or ungulates. In these systems, the acceleration sensor is always fastened to the animal, for example to the collar or leg, and it is thereby possible to detect accelerations due to animal movements. However, it is disadvantageous that in this measuring system, a detection of the spatial arrangement of the animals and thus a spatial allocation of the activity cannot be achieved. Furthermore, externally induced movements of the system relative to the sensor are error-prone, for example when other animals touch the sensor. A similar design in the form of an ear tag with system functional properties and disadvantages for animal activity detection is previously known from DE 202010008325U 1, which contains the acceleration sensor.
The mentioned activity detection devices of livestock, in particular of livestock with obvious search instincts, such as pigs, face a series of disadvantages. Due to the mechanical loads occurring on the acceleration sensors, these acceleration sensors can be damaged or lost, especially in the case of large numbers of animals being kept together. Another drawback of the acceleration sensor is the potential error with respect to external influences of other livestock.
From EP 2260699B 1 an animal positioning device is known in which animal activity is detected by optical tracking of the animal. The device enables observation and detection of individual animal behaviour patterns or group behaviour of many animals due to individual animal activity by means of a camera.
Furthermore, an animal testing device, which also works by means of optical detection of animals, is known from EP 2786655B 1, which is constructed for detecting the birth process and the birth period. For this purpose, the data processing device detects the contour of the animal in the monitoring area and the time point in which the isolated unique contour of the pregnant animal changes into two or more separate contours which can be recognized separately from one another by means of the image detection device. Furthermore, young animals can also be identified by profile or size compared to female animals.
The optically assisted individual animal activity detection in many animals known from the prior art requires special additional measures in order to avoid erroneous results, for example when individual animal characteristics cannot be unambiguously assigned to an animal or when a first animal blocks a small view and a second animal situated behind the first animal is observed from the viewpoint of the animal tracking device.
Finally, a further disadvantage of all the aforementioned activity measurements is that the detection of the activity by the animal has to process a large amount of data in a corresponding data processing device. This makes the use and storage of data difficult in certain continuously performed larger animal population monitoring, requires significant computational and storage capabilities of the hardware used and is prone to data errors and data loss.
Journal of "Laboratory Animals" in 1999, stage 33 (page 215-220), published by b.puppe, p.c.
And K.Wendland in the paper "Monitoring of piegs' open field activity and choice floor degradation of the display of the physical localization a Laboratory between Observer and PID technical Laboratory" describes another possibility of activity detection in animals. In this case, the animal living area is equipped with a passive infrared sensor and detects the changing thermal radiation in the infrared range. The varying thermal radiation corresponds to the movement of an animal having a specific body temperature. This device faces a decisive disadvantage. Therefore, many passive infrared sensors are required for livestock activity detection of the entire area where animals are located, because these passive infrared sensors have only a limited detection range. Furthermore, the sensitivity of the device is related to the distance of the passive infrared sensor from the animal itself and therefore cannot be universally used for said device. This sensitivity of the device must therefore be determined and adapted to the animal to be tested separately itself after its installation and initial commissioning. Another disadvantage is that detection of livestock activity is prone to errors in the vicinity of the heat source. A heat source in the barn, for example in the form of a heating lamp for the young animals, can distort the result of the passive infrared sensor, since the ambient temperature corresponds approximately to the body temperature of the young animals. Another disadvantage is the potential error of the device in detecting the movement of an animal that is behind another animal and is blocked by the animal due to its size.
SUMMERY OF THE UTILITY MODEL
It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and a method for activity detection of livestock, which apparatus/method only needs to transmit a small amount of data and at the same time ensures an effective detection of livestock activity by means of reliable data processing.
According to the utility model discloses, the purpose is realized through an activity detection device that is used for carrying out the detection to the activity of domestic animal. The activity detection device comprises an acceleration sensor which is arranged at a section of a floor standing surface of the livestock breeding pen by means of a fastening device for fastening the acceleration sensor in a stationary manner. Furthermore, the activity detection device comprises a data processing means which is signal-connected to the acceleration sensor in order to detect an acceleration of a section of the floor standing surface of the livestock farm and to calculate the livestock activity from this acceleration. Finally, the electronic interface of the activity detection device is adapted to signal the calculated livestock activity.
With the aid of the activity detection device according to the invention, it is possible to record the activity of the livestock in the livestock farm. A livestock farm in the present context means a closed animal field in which an animal or a plurality of animals can move freely and unimpeded. Therefore, the livestock breeding fence can be configured as a shed, a cage, or the like, for example. According to the invention, the device is configured for detecting the activity of a single livestock or a plurality of livestock in the livestock farm. The activity of individual animals of a plurality of livestock can be detected without identifying or marking the individual animals beforehand and without individually detecting their activity. In this respect, according to the invention, an acceleration sensor is used, which is fastened at a section of the floor standing surface of the livestock breeding pen, so that it has a rigid and positionally fixed connection with the section, wherein the section itself must be elastically deformable or moved by elastic deformation of other regions of the floor standing surface under the load acting on the floor standing surface.
For this purpose, the acceleration sensor is designed for fastening at a section of the floor standing surface by means of fastening means, such as screws, nails, clamping devices or the like. The rigid and positionally fixed connection enables activity detection by recording deflections of sections of the floor standing surface by means of a sample of the acceleration sensor and at the same time prevents a distortion of the measurement result due to natural vibrations of the acceleration sensor. By means of the rigid connection of the acceleration sensor and thus also of the sample to the floor standing surface, the deflection of the sample is directly proportional to the deflection of the section of the floor standing surface to which the acceleration sensor is fastened. Thus, the deflection of the sample is the magnitude of the force acting on the sample and thus on the section of the floor standing surface, the gravity and the inertial force of a livestock, a plurality of livestock or one of a number of livestock, which is on the floor standing surface and is in motion.
According to the utility model discloses, acceleration sensor and data processing device signal connection. The data processing device contains the detected activity in the form of signals of the acceleration sensor and calculates therefrom the activity of the livestock.
For the function of the invention, it is advantageous in this context if the data processing device is used, for example, for calculating the position of the livestock relative to the position of the acceleration sensor in the floor standing surface of the livestock farm at the point in time of the calculated activity of the livestock. For this purpose, for example, the conditions of the acceleration sensors in the standing surface of the floor can be correspondingly input as a program, so that the position of the livestock can be assigned in this way. In this way, the livestock activity can be determined position-dependently, but the livestock with the determined activity can also be identified more quickly and found from a number of livestock. In addition, this design enables detection of social behavior of livestock within the livestock fence, since it is possible to distinguish whether activities of livestock occur spatially separated or crowded in a tight space.
Finally, according to the utility model discloses be equipped with electronic interface, electronic interface can realize sending the signal of the livestock activity of calculating by data processing apparatus. The electronic interface can be designed, for example, as a display device in the form of a screen and can display the detected signals of the acceleration sensor to the user. A further embodiment of the electronic interface can be implemented, for example, in such a way that the signals of the livestock activity are transmitted by means of wireless transmission. The wireless transmission can transmit the calculated activity of the animal to the mobile terminal, for example, but can also trigger an alarm of a pager in the case of a defined signal.
With the help of the utility model discloses an activity check out test set reaches and can realize expending with low hardware and installation and require the detection of those animal activities of special intervention to monitor great animal population even effectively.
According to a first preferred embodiment, the activity detection device according to the invention is improved in that the electronic interface is a user interface. This refinement enables, for example, setting for the user a time interval within which livestock activity should be detected, associating animal individual information about age and health status, observed behavior of livestock with livestock activity, and the like. Furthermore, the user can associate events, such as sleep, feeding, a birth session, a weighing process, a picking process, etc., with the calculated activity. The setting can preferably be performed via a pre-programmed numeric or alphabetical code.
In particular, according to a further preferred embodiment, it is provided that the electronic interface is designed as a data interface and is connected to the data processing device in a signal-transmitting manner. With this development, data can be retrieved from a central control unit and correlated with the calculated livestock activity and/or transmitted to such a central control unit. The central controller can control, for example, ambient temperature, air humidity, light intensity, drug supply, water supply, feed ingredients, feed volume, and the like. By means of a signal connection with a central controller or with a corresponding control unit, the aforementioned parameters can be controlled and managed taking into account the detected animal activity.
This design enables communication of all control units, computers and sensors of the entire animal living area, for example a barn comprising a plurality of livestock pens. The data processing device therefore contains, on the one hand, the signals detected by the acceleration sensor, from which the animal activity is calculated, and on the other hand, also animal-specific information and information about the environmental conditions present at the time of the activity detection, such as ambient temperature, air humidity, light intensity, medication supply, water supply, feed composition, feed quantity, etc., can be supplied via the electronic interface and taken into account in the data processing and parameter control.
According to a further preferred embodiment, the data processing device comprises a memory unit. In this embodiment, the signals of the acceleration sensor and the animal activity calculated therefrom can be stored in a signal profile. The signal profile may contain additional information about the position of the livestock calculated by the data processing device, as long as the position has been calculated. Furthermore, the signal profile can supplement the information distributed via the electronic interface. The data processing means are preferably used to form normal patterns, empirical values or event expectations from a plurality of detected signal profiles, which are stored and from which the activity detection device is calibrated. The behavior pattern of the livestock can be detected by pattern matching, difference observation and/or average value comparison with a plurality of signal curves stored in the storage unit. In particular, location-specific and day-specific behavior patterns of the livestock can be detected therefrom and abnormal behavior patterns, such as for example, jerkiness, or also signs typical of illness, can be detected. Further, the group behavior of multiple animals should be distinguished from the individual behavior of one animal within a herd of animals by pattern matching, differential observation, and/or mean comparison of signal curves. The occurring behavioral abnormalities can be signaled by means of an electronic interface or can also be alarmed.
In a further preferred embodiment of the activity detection device according to the invention, the data interface of the data processing device is signal-coupled to the central control software. With this configuration, it is possible to output a control signal to devices such as an air conditioning device, a ventilation device, a lighting device, a medication supply device, a water supply device, a feed supply device, and the like, depending on the detected activity. The control signal enables the animal to individually adjust environmental conditions to prevent off-normal activities by the design. By means of this embodiment, the animal can automatically individually adjust the environmental conditions taking into account the detected livestock activity. Here, the optimization conditions for the individualization of animals can depend on the age of the livestock, the number of livestock in the stall, the health status of the livestock and the event expectations. This design enables, for example, detection of groups of livestock at night. This behavior pattern can indicate an overcooled ambient temperature and thus cause control and regulation of the ambient temperature.
Furthermore, it is particularly preferred that the data processing device is used to detect all behavioral patterns in the stable without permanently monitoring the activity in such a way that the necessity of a permanent measurement, of a periodic point measurement or of a periodic sequence measurement can be defined by means of the normal pattern, empirical values and event expectations. Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment, the data processing device can be used to process the detected animal activity as an amplitude, a frequency and/or as a point-by-point signal in the form of a maximum or minimum value. The type and time interval of the activity measurements and the shape of the processed signals can be entered as program inputs depending on the desired livestock activity, so that a complete behaviour pattern can be associated with the livestock activity signal profile detected in two successive activity detection processes. Due to the desired sleep, it can be sufficient, for example, to operate periodic point measurements at night and to process the detected activity in the form of point-by-point signals. During sleep it is generally possible to record only signals of lower intensity over a longer time interval than during the day. Furthermore, the detected pointwise signal is often within a range defined for sleep. Abnormalities can be recorded and stored in the form of maxima or minima. Another preferred application can be, for example, the monitoring of the progress of labor. Due to the unpredictability of the exact point in time to start the delivery, there can be a need to permanently record the activity of the pregnant animal. As a further possibility, livestock activity can be recorded as periodic sequence measurements. This type of livestock activity detection can be used in repeated events, for example during feeding.
Another aspect of the invention is a method for detecting livestock activity by means of an activity detection device. The activity of the livestock in the stall is detected by detecting the vertical acceleration of a section of the floor standing surface and calculating the livestock activity from the acceleration. By means of the method it is possible to detect and observe a calculated activity of a livestock, of a plurality of livestock or of a livestock within a plurality of livestock.
With the help of according to the utility model discloses a method can realize effectively detecting the domestic animal activity. From the signals of the acceleration sensors, the activity of individual animals or the activity of a plurality of animals which are standing in the animal holding pen together and freely movable in relation to one another can be calculated without the activity of all animals having to be recorded separately for this purpose.
In a preferred embodiment, the method according to the invention can be applied to control the environmental conditions of the entire animal living area. The implementation form comprises the following steps: detecting and calculating livestock activity; associating the calculated livestock activity with a behavioral pattern of the livestock by matching the detected activity with a normal pattern and/or empirical values stored in a storage unit; calling environmental conditions; correlating the calculated livestock activity with environmental conditions; individual animal behavior patterns were analyzed taking into account environmental conditions, time of day and event expectations. This embodiment makes it possible to automatically adjust the environmental conditions by outputting control signals from the data processing device to the signal-connected central control device, taking into account the ascertained behavior pattern. The environmental conditions with respect to ambient temperature, ventilation, light intensity, feed supply, water supply, drug supply, etc. can be adjusted depending on the behavior pattern found by the pattern matching.
In a further embodiment of the method for livestock activity detection, the environmental conditions can be adjusted manually via a user interface.
By this method, on the one hand, behavioral patterns of animals can be detected, and on the other hand, abnormalities can be avoided by regulating environmental conditions.
The method can be implemented in particular by means of the previously described activity detection device or components thereof. It should furthermore be understood that the method according to the invention can particularly preferably be modified such that it has or can realize those method steps which provide the previously set forth modified form of the activity detection device according to the invention.
Drawings
Preferred embodiments of the activity detection device are described with the aid of the figures. The figures show:
fig. 1 shows a configuration of a floor standing surface of a livestock breeding fence;
2A-C illustrate the fastening of an acceleration sensor at an instrumented board at a floor standing surface;
fig. 3A-D show different embodiments of the activity detection device according to the invention.
Detailed Description
The floor standing surface 10 of the livestock farm can be configured as a slatted floor. The leaky floor can be characterized by the plates 11 forming the tread and the narrow slits 12 between the plates 11 as passages for the livestock excrements. In the example shown, the livestock farm is a pigsty. It is to be understood that the livestock rearing pens can also be adapted for other animals and arranged accordingly. Fig. 1 shows a part of a leaky floor of a pigsty, on which joists the activity detection device can be placed according to the invention. The slatted floor consists of a number of panels 11, which are fixedly connected to each other on a substructure consisting of a number of load-bearing elements 13. In the example shown, the plates 11 have different widths and therefore different cross sections and thus also different elastic properties or elasticity. The elasticity of one of the plates 11 is determined by the modulus of elasticity and the area moment of inertia. The modulus of elasticity is a material characteristic value of the plate 11, and describes a relationship of strain and stress when the plate 11 is deformed in linear elastic characteristics due to inertial force and gravity of livestock. Thus, the plate 11 having a high elastic modulus has higher rigidity than the plate 11 having a low elastic modulus. Furthermore, the elastic properties of the plate 11 are also determined by the area moment of inertia, which is a characteristic parameter derived from the geometry of the cross section of the plate 11. A plate with a greater height compared to the other plates at the same width has a smaller deformation than the other plates under the same force, at the same material properties, i.e. the same modulus of elasticity. Thus, by selecting plates with different modulus of elasticity and/or different area moments of inertia, the elastic deformation properties of the plates can be adapted to different load states.
Fig. 2A-C show instrumented boards that can be fastened as an integral part of a slatted floor to the load-bearing elements 13 of the substructure. The instrumented board consists of the board 11 itself and the acceleration sensor 30. The acceleration sensor 30 is arranged and designed in such a way that it is immovably fastened to the instrumented plate section 200, whereby the acceleration of the floor standing surface 10 in the region of the plate of the domestic animal holding pen can be recorded without loss. In the example shown, the acceleration sensor 30 is fastened to the plate 11 by means of bolts. This fastening device requires a threaded hole in the plate 11 and a fastening thread in the acceleration sensor 30, thereby enabling the acceleration sensor 30 to be firmly and reliably connected to the instrumented plate. This coupling type can be used for permanently mounting the acceleration sensor 30. It should be understood, however, that the illustrated example of a coupling type is only one of a large number of other coupling types suitable for fastening acceleration sensors in the field of activity detection devices.
In the example shown, the cable 32 serves as a signal connection element between the acceleration sensor 30 and the data processing device. In order to keep the movements of the cable 32 connected to the acceleration sensor 30 via the plug connection 33 as small as possible, the cable 32 can be fastened as in the example shown by means of a cable clamp 34. This fastening makes it possible to avoid movements of the cable 32 relative to the acceleration sensor 30 and measurement errors resulting therefrom. The cable 32 can be fastened here by means of a cable clamp 34 in such a way that sufficient return lines remain in order to be able to avoid mechanical stresses acting on the acceleration sensor 30. The section 200 of the instrumented board to which the acceleration sensor 30 is fastened is to be elastically deformable for the purpose of activity measurement and therefore has a defined spacing 201 in the horizontal direction relative to the carrier element 13 in order to be able to receive the vertical acceleration of the floor standing surface 10. In a preferred embodiment, the acceleration sensor 30 can be oriented such that the direction of the expected acceleration corresponds to the direction of the measuring axis of the acceleration sensor 30. According to the utility model discloses a sensitivity of activity detection equipment can be confirmed through the elasticity of the board of equipment instrument, the horizontal interval of section 200 and the parameter of acceleration sensor 30 itself, wherein in section department, acceleration sensor 30 fastens on the board of equipment instrument. The selected section 200 of the instrumented plate to which the acceleration sensor 30 is fastened can affect the deflection of the sample of the acceleration sensor 30, since the deflection, i.e. the orthogonal portion of the offset of the deformed position with respect to the undeformed position of the instrumented plate, is greater in the centre than in the vicinity of the fastening means of the instrumented plate on the carrying element 13.
Fig. 3A-D show different embodiments of the movement detection device, in which at least one acceleration sensor 30 of the same construction with the same parameters is fastened to exactly one instrumented board, and the movement detection device contains two acceleration sensors 30, respectively. In these exemplary embodiments, the electronic interface is designed as a screen and shows the user the first signal of the first acceleration sensor and the second signal of the second acceleration sensor.
According to fig. 3A, the activity detection device consists of two instrumented boards 120a, b. The instrumented plates 120a, b have the same cross section, and the horizontal distance a 201a of the first section 150a of the first instrumented plate 120a, on which the first acceleration sensor 130a is arranged, corresponds to the horizontal distance a 502 of the second section 150b of the second instrumented plate 120b, on which the second acceleration sensor 130b is arranged. Fig. 3A corresponds to an arrangement of two acceleration sensors 130a, b, which the user integrates into the livestock fence when he intends to accurately detect livestock activity and to exclude possible measurement errors. In relation to the embodiment according to the invention, the two acceleration sensors 130a, b are able to record signals 141a, b and to counteract the difference of the two activity detections by forming an average value 141.
Fig. 3B-D correspond to an arrangement of two acceleration sensors 30 that can be used to detect livestock activity of a plurality of livestock. It is advantageous for these embodiments if the plurality of instrumented boards have different sensitivities, in which case it is also possible to detect livestock activity with different weights of livestock with good resolution and good signal-to-noise ratio. Furthermore, the two instrumented boards are arranged at a distance from each other in such a way that a spatial resolution of the movement of the livestock in the stable is achieved: signals of livestock activity are evaluated with a temporal resolution of each other.
The board of equipment instrument can be according to the utility model discloses be equipped with following mode:
according to fig. 3B, the activity detection device can be composed of two instrumented boards 220a, B. In this embodiment, instrumented plates 220a, b have the same cross section, while the horizontal distance b 503 of a first section 250a of a first instrumented plate 220a, on which a first acceleration sensor 230a is arranged, differs from the horizontal distance c 504 of a second section 250b of a second instrumented plate 220b, on which a second acceleration sensor 230b is arranged. According to this arrangement, the instrumented boards 220a, b have different sensitivities due to the respectively selected sections 503 and 504 to which the acceleration sensors 230a and 230b are respectively fastened. In the example shown, the instrumented board 220a with the acceleration sensor 230a has a greater deflection at the section 503 with the spacing b 503 than at the section 250b with the spacing c 504, so that the sample of the acceleration sensor 230a at the section 250a with the spacing b 503 is also deflected more strongly. For this reason, the instrumental panel 220a is more sensitive and can be used for activity detection of livestock having a smaller weight. The signals 241a, b of this embodiment can be displayed to the user via the screen 240 according to the invention. The less sensitive signal 241b of the device can show heavier livestock activity. Lighter livestock activity can be shown as signal 241a by the difference of the signal 241b of the device with lower sensitivity and the signal of the second device with higher sensitivity.
According to fig. 3C, the activity detection device can be composed of two instrumented boards 320a, b. Instrumented plates 320a, b have different cross-sections in the example shown, because the first instrumented plate 320a has a height f that is less than the height e of the second instrumented plate 320 b. The horizontal distance d 505 of the first section 350a of the first instrumented plate 320a, on which the first acceleration sensor 330a is arranged, corresponds to the horizontal distance d 506 of the second section 350b of the second instrumented plate 320b, on which the second acceleration sensor 330b is arranged. According to this arrangement, the instrumented plates 320a, b have different rigidities, since the cross-sections and thus the area moments of inertia of the two instrumented plates 320a, b are different. For this reason, the sensitivity of the instrumented board 320a having the height f is higher in the illustrated example, because the instrumented board 320a has a smaller cross section and can be used for activity detection of livestock having a smaller weight. The signals 341a, b of this embodiment can be displayed to the user via the screen 340 according to the invention. The signal 341b of the device with lower sensitivity can show the activity of heavier livestock. A lighter activity of the livestock can be displayed as signal 341a by the difference of the signal 341b of the device with the lower sensitivity and the signal of the second device with the higher sensitivity.
According to fig. 3D, the activity detection device comprises a unique instrumented board 420, said activity detection device consisting of one instrumented board 420 and two acceleration sensors 430a, b. In this example, the first horizontal spacing g 507 of the first acceleration sensor 430a is different from the second horizontal spacing h 508 of the second acceleration sensor 430 b. According to this arrangement, only one instrumented board 420 is integrated in the floor standing surface 10 of the livestock farm, but said instrumented board can be equipped with two acceleration sensors 430a, b at different distances 405a, b. In the example shown, the instrumented board 420 has two different sensitivities due to the selected sections 430a, b to which exactly one acceleration sensor 430a, b, respectively, is fastened, because the instrumented board 420 of the section 430a horizontally spaced at the spacing g 507 has a greater deflection than at the section 430b horizontally spaced at the spacing h 508. For this reason, the sample of the acceleration sensor 430a having the spacing g 507 can also be deflected more strongly, and lighter activities of livestock can be detected. The signals 441a, b of this embodiment can be displayed to the user via the screen 440 according to the invention. The signal 441b of the device with lower sensitivity can show heavier livestock activity. The difference between the signal 441b of the device with lower sensitivity and the signal of the second device with higher sensitivity can show lighter activity of the livestock as signal 441 a.
Such a design can be used, for example, in parturition monitoring. In this case, the activity is permanently detected and monitored by means of an acceleration sensor. The vibrations occurring additionally due to the newborn can be detected by the second acceleration sensor with a higher sensitivity and the birth time can be determined. This allows vibrations occurring several times in addition due to several births to be detected and the time intervals between them to be determined. Additionally, by means of successive differential observations, the activity of heavier animals, in this case dams, and the activity of lighter animals, in this case newborns, can be detected and monitored separately. In case of sufficiently large gravity of the pups, the value of the differential observation can be close to zero and thus the point in time at which the pups should be separated from the female animals can be determined. The application feasibility is preferably implemented by means of random point measurements.
Another application of one of the design forms 3B-D is in the check of the weight of livestock, particularly in the monitoring of weight gain of livestock. In this case, the livestock activity can be detected and monitored at random as a point measurement by means of an acceleration sensor. The second acceleration sensor has a lower sensitivity in this embodiment and only detects accelerations due to movements of the livestock from a specific weight. By means of this embodiment, weighing processes starting from a defined weight increase, feed composition adjustment on the basis of a stopped weight increase, etc. can be started. In connection with livestock activity detection, a weight check can be used to identify and report insufficient space based on low activity and weight gain of livestock within the stall. This enables, for example, manual and/or automatic selection of livestock according to the respective weight to be suspended.
Thus, the user of the apparatus can equip a single livestock rearing fence or a plurality of livestock rearing fences of their animal living area as required and individually detect the activity of their livestock within each livestock rearing fence.
List of reference numerals
10 floor standing surface
11 plate
12 gap between plates 11
13 load bearing element of joist
Defined height of the f-plate 11
Defined height of e-plate 11
30 acceleration sensor
31 fastening device
32 electric cable
33 plug connector
34 cable clamp
120a first instrumented plate; example 3A
120b a second instrumented plate; example 3A
130a first acceleration sensor 30; example 3A
130b a second acceleration sensor 30; example 3A
140 electronic interface
141 acceleration sensor signal
141a signal of the first acceleration sensor 130a
141b signal of the second acceleration sensor 130b
150a first section; example 3A
150b a second section; example 3A
220a first instrumented plate; example 3B
220b a second instrumented plate; example 3B
230a first acceleration sensor 30; example 3B
230b the second acceleration sensor 30; example 3B
250a first section; example 3B
250b a second section; example 3B
320a first instrumented plate; example 3C
320b a second instrumented plate; example 3C
330a first acceleration sensor 30; example 3C
330b the second acceleration sensor 30; example 3C
350a first section; example 3C
350b a second section; example 3C
420 instrumented plate; example 3D
430a first acceleration sensor 30; example 3D
430b second acceleration sensor 30; example 3D
450a first section; example 3D
450b a second section; example 3D
500 horizontal spacing of segments
501 horizontal spacing of segments 150 a; example 3A
502 horizontal spacing of segments 150 b; example 3A
503 horizontal spacing of segments 250 a; example 3B
504 horizontal spacing of segments 250 b; example 3B
505 the horizontal pitch of the segments 350 a; example 3C
506 horizontal spacing of segments 350 b; example 3C
507 horizontal spacing of segments 450 a; example 3D
508 horizontal spacing of segments 450 b; example 3D
Claims (15)
1. An activity detection device for detecting activity of livestock, comprising:
-an acceleration sensor (30) having fastening means (31) for fastening the acceleration sensor (30) positionally fixed at a section (200) of a floor standing surface (10) of a livestock breeding pen;
-data processing means in signal connection with the acceleration sensor (30) and for detecting an acceleration of the section (200) of the floor standing surface (10) of the livestock farm and for calculating livestock activity from this acceleration; and
-an electronic interface for signaling the calculated livestock activity, characterized in that the floor standing surface (10) consists of a plurality of plates (11) which are fixedly connected to each other on a bottom structure consisting of a plurality of carrying elements (13), and the acceleration sensor (30) is fastened in a vertically movable section (200) of one of the plates (11), which section is fastened horizontally spaced (201) from the carrying element (13), in order to register the vertical acceleration of the floor standing surface (10).
2. An activity detection device according to claim 1, comprising a first instrumented plate, characterized in that a first acceleration sensor can be rigidly fastened at a first section (200) of the first instrumented plate of a first livestock rearing fence, such that the direction of acceleration of the first section (200) of the first instrumented plate corresponds to the direction of the measuring axis of the first acceleration sensor, and the first instrumented plate has a first sensitivity, by means of which the first instrumented plate passes
-the elasticity of the first instrumented plate and/or of the section (200) to which the first acceleration sensor is fastened; and/or
-a parameter of the first acceleration sensor,
affecting the first sensitivity.
3. An activity detection device according to claim 2, comprising a second instrumented plate, characterized in that a second acceleration sensor can be rigidly fastened at the second section (200) of the first instrumented plate or of the second instrumented plate, such that the direction of the acceleration of the second section (200) of the instrumented plate corresponds to the direction of the measuring axis of the second acceleration sensor, wherein the second instrumented plate can be placed in the floor standing surface (10) of the first livestock rearing fence or of the second livestock rearing fence and the second instrumented plate has a second sensitivity, by means of which the second instrumented plate can be fastened to the floor standing surface (10) of the first livestock rearing fence or of the second livestock rearing fence
-the elasticity of the second instrumented plate and/or of the section (200) to which the second acceleration sensor is fastened; and/or
-a parameter of the second acceleration sensor,
the second sensitivity is influenced in such a way that,
wherein the second sensitivity is different from or the same as the first sensitivity.
4. An activity detection device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said first instrumented board and said second instrumented board are placed in said first livestock rearing fence, characterized in that said data processing means detect a first signal of said first acceleration sensor and a second signal of said second acceleration sensor, and
-calculating exactly one livestock activity from the two signals, wherein the two instrumented boards have the same sensitivity, or
-for calculating a first livestock activity and a second livestock activity from the two signals, wherein the plate of the second outfitting apparatus has a different sensitivity than the plate of the first outfitting apparatus.
5. An activity detection device according to claim 3,
-the first instrumented plate is arranged in the first livestock rearing bed,
-the second instrumented plate is arranged in a second livestock rearing fence, and
the data processing device is in signal connection with the plate of the first equipping apparatus and the plate of the second equipping apparatus and is used for calculating the livestock activity individually for each of the two livestock pens.
6. An activity detection device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the data processing means are adapted to calculate the livestock position relative to the position (200) of the acceleration sensor (30) in the livestock rearing bar at the calculated point in time of the livestock activity.
7. An activity detection device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the electronic interface is configured as a user interface so that by input from a user:
-setting a time interval within which the calculated livestock activity is detected,
-correlating the observed behavior of the livestock with the calculated livestock activity,
-associating animal individual information with calculated livestock activity, and/or
-associating an event with the calculated livestock activity, the event comprising:
sleep
Feeding
Childbirth time period
A weighing process, or
The picking process.
8. An activity detection device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the electronic interface is constituted as a data interface and the data processing means are adapted to retrieve information of the central control software via the data interface and to associate said information with the calculated livestock activity, said information comprising:
-the temperature of the surroundings,
-the humidity of the air,
-the intensity of the light,
-a supply of a medicament,
-a supply of water,
-a feed ingredient,
-feed amount.
9. An activity detection device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the data processing means comprise a memory unit for storing detected signal profiles, wherein the detected signal profiles contain the signals of the acceleration sensors (30), the calculated livestock activity and supplementary information, if necessary also information about the livestock position relative to the position (200) of the acceleration sensors (30) at the point in time of the calculated livestock activity, information assigned via a user interface and/or information assigned via a data interface.
10. An activity detection device according to claim 9, characterized in that said data processing means are adapted to detect a normal pattern, empirical values and/or event expectations by matching a plurality of detected signal profiles stored in said memory unit and to store said normal pattern, empirical values and/or event expectations in said memory unit.
11. An activity detection device as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that the data processing means are adapted to match the detected signal profile with normal values, empirical values and/or event expectations and to determine the behaviour pattern of the livestock by means of pattern matching, difference observations and/or average value comparisons.
12. An activity detection device according to claim 11, wherein said data processing means is adapted to output via said data interface a control signal for handling at least one of the following:
-an air-conditioning device, the air-conditioning device,
-a ventilation device for ventilating the air flow,
-a lighting device for lighting the lighting device,
-a medicament delivery device for delivering medicament to a patient,
-a water supply device for supplying water to the water tank,
-a feed supply device for supplying feed to the animal,
wherein the control signal is output according to the detected signal profile.
13. An activity detection device as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that the data processing means are adapted to operate the acceleration sensor (30) for livestock activity detection at regular time intervals, wherein the signal is permanently recorded as periodic point measurements and/or as periodic sequence measurements in the form of amplitude, frequency and/or point-by-point signal.
14. An activity detection device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that said electronic interface
-is a screen on which the livestock activity of the livestock farm is displayed as amplitude, frequency, differential observation, pattern matching and/or average comparison, and/or
-enabling wireless transmission for signaling livestock activity different from normal patterns, empirical values and/or event expectations.
15. An activity detection device according to claim 13, characterized in that the acceleration sensor (30) is operated at time intervals which are selected among normal patterns, empirical values and event expectations depending on the livestock activity, such that a complete behaviour pattern can be associated with the livestock activity detected on the basis of the signal profile in two successive activity detections.
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
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|---|---|---|---|
| DE202017103539.5 | 2017-06-13 | ||
| DE202017103539.5U DE202017103539U1 (en) | 2017-06-13 | 2017-06-13 | Domestic activity detection |
| PCT/EP2018/065682 WO2018229142A1 (en) | 2017-06-13 | 2018-06-13 | Farm animal activity detection |
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| CN212589620U true CN212589620U (en) | 2021-02-26 |
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| CN201890000939.XU Active CN212589620U (en) | 2017-06-13 | 2018-06-13 | Activity detection apparatus for detecting activity of livestock |
Country Status (3)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CN (1) | CN212589620U (en) |
| DE (1) | DE202017103539U1 (en) |
| WO (1) | WO2018229142A1 (en) |
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| DE102019213719A1 (en) * | 2019-09-10 | 2021-03-11 | Universität Rostock | Barn flooring, system and method for reducing at least one gas in a barn |
| CN113285966B (en) * | 2020-02-19 | 2022-12-09 | 中国农业科学院农业信息研究所 | Intelligent pig behavior abnormity monitoring method and system |
| NL2027684B1 (en) * | 2021-03-03 | 2022-09-22 | Nedap Nv | Method of calibrating a plurality of sensors in a system for obtaining animal data from a group of animals, as well as computer program product. |
| CN117831136B (en) * | 2024-03-04 | 2024-05-07 | 贵州省种畜禽种质测定中心 | Cattle abnormal behavior detection method based on remote monitoring |
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| CA2501894C (en) * | 2005-04-12 | 2013-01-08 | Conception Ro-Main Inc. | Birth monitoring method for piglets |
| GB2437250C (en) * | 2006-04-18 | 2012-08-15 | Iti Scotland Ltd | Method and system for monitoring the condition of livestock |
| DE102006018545B4 (en) | 2006-04-21 | 2009-12-31 | Andrea Wimmer | Pedometer for four-legged friends |
| DE202009008268U1 (en) | 2009-06-10 | 2010-11-04 | Big Dutchman Pig Equipment Gmbh | Optical based livestock locating device |
| DE202010008325U1 (en) | 2010-08-23 | 2012-01-02 | BITS Zwickau Büromat IT-Systeme GmbH | Ear tag and livestock monitoring system |
| AT515870A3 (en) * | 2014-06-05 | 2022-06-15 | Smartbow Gmbh | Data network for monitoring animals |
| US9671276B1 (en) * | 2015-02-25 | 2017-06-06 | Vium, Inc. | Sterilizable wireless animal scale |
| DE102015010186B3 (en) | 2015-07-28 | 2016-04-07 | Thomas Laberenz | Apparatus and method for monitoring a hoofed animal |
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| DE202017103539U1 (en) | 2018-09-14 |
| WO2018229142A1 (en) | 2018-12-20 |
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