WO2018012005A1

WO2018012005A1 - Cattle activity/state management system

Info

Publication number: WO2018012005A1
Application number: PCT/JP2016/085542
Authority: WO
Inventors: 浩二清家
Original assignee: 浩二清家
Priority date: 2016-07-13
Filing date: 2016-11-30
Publication date: 2018-01-18
Also published as: JP2018007613A; JP6409028B2

Abstract

While the scale of dairy farming and the like has increased, the problem of a shortage of labor has arisen. The physical condition and the management of activity of cattle as livestock are in danger of being neglected because of the shortage of labor. This problem gives rise to effects on the management of cattle reproduction and diseases, and by extension, lowers the productivity efficiency for milk, beef and the like. An activity/state management system for cattle according to an embodiment of the present invention has: an activity/state sensor module attached to a cow within a management area, said activity/state sensor module being provided with a triaxial acceleration sensor; and an activity/state determination unit for determining a plurality of activities/states of the cow on the basis of measurement values for the triaxial acceleration sensor, which indicate different measurement patterns for each of the plurality of activities/states of the cow.

Description

Cattle activity state management system

The present invention relates to a system for managing the activity and state (activity state) of cattle as livestock, particularly dairy cattle and beef cattle.

A system for managing livestock using various sensors and computers is known (Patent Documents 1 to 3). Patent Document 1 discloses a system that uses a tag equipped with a temperature sensor and a telemeter as an ear tag of a cow, enables individual identification of the cow, and collectively manages the detected body temperature of the cow using a computer. Has been.

Patent Document 2 discloses a system for measuring the number of steps of a cow using a pedometer attached to the feet of the cow and knowing the estrus state of the cow based on the ratio of the number of steps of the cow in two time zones based on the information. Is disclosed.

Patent Document 3 discloses a sensor that is mounted on an animal to be managed and configured to measure a predetermined physical quantity such as acceleration and wirelessly transmit the result as data, and based on the measurement data of the sensor, An animal having a predetermined determination at a frequency, and checking whether or not a report destination is associated with the determination result and, if related, a determination computer for transmitting the determination result to the associated report destination A health management system is disclosed. However, in the animal activity state management system disclosed in Patent Document 3, the object to be managed is the health state of the animal, and the activity state of the animal is not mainly managed.

On the other hand, in recent years, the number of people engaged in livestock industry and agriculture has decreased in Japan. In terms of dairy farming, the number of dairy farms has been halved compared to 10 years ago, while the number of dairy farms has decreased by about 20%. Also, regarding the livestock production of beef cattle, the number of livestock has been halved compared to 10 years ago, while the number of beef cattle has only decreased by about 10%. This shows that the average number of dairy cows increased by about 1.5 times compared to 10 years ago, and the average number of beef cattle raised by about 2 times compared to 10 years ago. .

Thus, while the scale of a household engaged in dairy farming has increased, there has been a problem of labor shortage. There is a risk that management of the physical condition and activity status of cattle as livestock may be neglected due to labor shortage. This may affect the breeding of cows and the management of diseases, which may lead to a decrease in production efficiency of milk and beef.

JP 2003-333950 A JP 2012-130253 A JP 2007-306804 A

In view of such problems, the present invention provides an activity state management system that collectively manages a plurality of activity states of cattle as livestock, that is, dairy cows and beef cattle.

The present invention includes the following aspects of the invention.
[1]
An activity state sensor module mounted on a cow in a controlled area, the activity state sensor module comprising a three-axis acceleration sensor; and
A cow activity state management system comprising: an activity state determination unit that determines a plurality of activity states of a cow based on measurement values of the three-axis acceleration sensor showing different measurement patterns according to the plurality of activity states of the cow.
[2]
Based on the information from the position information sensor provided in the management area, further has a position determination unit that determines the position of the cow,
The activity state determination unit includes:
(I) When the position determination unit determines that the cow is in the feeding area of the management area, and the measured value of the three-axis acceleration sensor indicates a specific measurement pattern at the time of cow feeding, the cow A foraging judgment unit for judging that the foraging activity is being carried out,
(Ii) When the position determining unit determines that the cow is in the drinking area of the management area and the measured value of the three-axis acceleration sensor shows a specific measurement pattern when drinking the cow, the cow is drinking water. Drinking water judgment part judging that we are carrying out activities,
(Iii) A walking determination unit that determines that the cow is performing a walking activity when the measurement value of the three-axis acceleration sensor indicates a measurement pattern peculiar to the cow walking.
(Iv) a recumbent determination unit that determines that the cow is in a recumbent state when the measurement value of the three-axis acceleration sensor indicates a specific measurement pattern when the cow is recumbent;
(V) a traveling determination unit that determines that the cow is performing a traveling activity when the measurement value of the three-axis acceleration sensor indicates a specific measurement pattern during the traveling of the cow;
(Vi) a stationary determination unit that determines that the cow is in a stationary state when the measurement value of the three-axis acceleration sensor shows a unique measurement pattern when the cow is stationary;
(Vii) Based on the measured value of the three-axis acceleration sensor, when the cow's walking amount and running amount per unit time are equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold for a plurality of consecutive periods, the cow performs estrus activity. And (viii) when the measured value of the three-axis acceleration sensor shows a specific measurement pattern at the time of cow rumination, it is judged that the target cow is performing rumination activity. The activity state management system according to [1], including at least two determination units selected from the group consisting of rumination determination units.
[3]
The activity state management system according to [2], wherein the activity state determination unit includes the foraging determination unit, the drinking water determination unit, the recumbent determination unit, and the estrus determination unit.
[4]
A management terminal comprising the activity state determination unit and the position determination unit;
The determined cow activity state is added to the database of the management terminal and / or the database in the cloud in association with the identifier of the cow and / or the identifier of the activity state sensor module and the measurement date and time information. ] Or the activity state management system according to [3].
[5]
The management terminal is configured to determine an environmental state of the management area based on information acquired from at least one of a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, a power sensor, and a water amount sensor provided in the management area. The activity state management system according to any one of [2] to [4].
[6]
The activity state sensor module includes a barometric sensor,
The atmospheric pressure sensor measures the atmospheric pressure at the height position, generates information on the height position corresponding to the atmospheric pressure,
The activity state management system according to [1], wherein the activity state determination unit determines a plurality of activity states of the cow based on measurement values of the three-axis acceleration sensor and information on the height position.
[7]
Based on information from the position information sensor provided in the management area, the computer functions as a position determination unit that determines the position of the cow,
(I) When the position determination unit determines that the cow is in the feeding area of the management area, and the measured value of the three-axis acceleration sensor indicates a specific measurement pattern at the time of cow feeding, the cow A foraging judgment unit for judging that the foraging activity is being carried out,
(Ii) When the position determining unit determines that the cow is in the drinking area of the management area and the measured value of the three-axis acceleration sensor shows a specific measurement pattern when drinking the cow, the cow is drinking water. Drinking water judgment part judging that we are carrying out activities,
(Iii) A walking determination unit that determines that the cow is performing a walking activity when the measurement value of the three-axis acceleration sensor indicates a measurement pattern peculiar to the cow walking.
(Iv) a recumbent determination unit that determines that the cow is in a recumbent state when the measurement value of the three-axis acceleration sensor indicates a specific measurement pattern when the cow is recumbent;
(V) a traveling determination unit that determines that the cow is performing a traveling activity when the measurement value of the three-axis acceleration sensor indicates a specific measurement pattern during the traveling of the cow;
(Vi) a stationary determination unit that determines that the cow is in a stationary state when the measurement value of the three-axis acceleration sensor shows a unique measurement pattern when the cow is stationary;
(Vii) Based on the measured value of the three-axis acceleration sensor, when the cow's walking amount and running amount per unit time are equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold for a plurality of consecutive periods, the cow performs estrus activity. And (viii) when the measured value of the three-axis acceleration sensor shows a specific measurement pattern at the time of cow rumination, it is judged that the target cow is performing rumination activity. A computer program for causing a computer to function as at least two determination units selected from the group consisting of rumination determination units.

The activity state management system according to an embodiment of the present invention makes it possible to collectively manage a plurality of activity states of a cow and facilitate management of the physical condition and activity state of the cow.

It is a conceptual diagram of the activity state management system which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram of the activity state sensor module which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram of the management terminal which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart by the management terminal which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is an example of the screen interface which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is an example of the screen interface which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention.

Hereinafter, an activity state management system for dairy cows and beef cattle according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

<Activity management system 1>
An activity state management system 1 for dairy cows and beef cattle (hereinafter simply referred to as “cow”) according to an embodiment of the present invention is a system that collectively manages a plurality of activity states of cows. The plurality of activity states include at least two activity states selected from the group consisting of foraging activity, drinking activity, walking activity, running activity, lying down state, resting state, estrus activity, and rumination activity.

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram of the activity state management system 1. As shown in FIG. 1, the activity state management system 1 includes an activity state sensor module 20 mounted on one or more cows A to E in a management area 10 such as a barn or a ranch, And a management terminal 30 that processes information and performs cattle activity state management, physical condition management, and the like. Details of the activity state sensor module 20 will be described later.

The management terminal 30 is a general-purpose computer or server computer including a CPU, a main storage device, an auxiliary storage device, a network module, and the like, and has various functional units that are realized by cooperation with installed programs and software. . Details of the functional unit of the management terminal 30 will be described later (FIG. 3).

Here, later-described function units (collectively, activity state determination units) (301 to 308) of the management terminal 30 are realized by the control unit (24) including the CPU in the activity state sensor module 20. Also good. That is, the management terminal 30 acquires information on the activity state of the cow determined by the activity state sensor module 20, and the database on the cloud via the database (313) in the management terminal 30 and / or the network 40 (Internet). 60 may be stored.

The activity state management system 1 may include a repeater 17 as a router that wirelessly communicates with the activity state sensor module 20 and communicates with the management terminal 30 in a wired or wireless manner. In that case, one or more relay machines 17 may be installed in (or outside) the management area 10 to cover the entire management area 10.

Wireless communication between the repeater 17 and the activity state sensor module 20 is a standard such as a wireless LAN such as Wi-Fi (registered trademark), PHS (registered trademark), Bluetooth (registered trademark), or ZigBee (registered trademark). It may be based on. Further, between the repeater 17 and the management terminal 30, wireless communication based on the above standard may be used, or wired communication based on a standard such as serial communication or Ethernet (registered trademark) may be used. In addition, you may make it the relay machine management terminal 30 and the active state sensor module 20 communicate directly by radio | wireless, without providing the relay machine 17. FIG.

The activity state management system 1 includes a position information sensor 11 that detects the position of the cow in the management area 10 and various environmental conditions in the management area 10 (temperature, humidity, wind direction and strength, power consumption, water consumption, etc.). It may further include a plurality of sensors 12 to 16 that measure and transmit the information to the management terminal 30. As a sensor for measuring various environmental conditions in the management area 10, one or more of a temperature sensor 12, a humidity sensor 13, a wind speed sensor 14, a power sensor 15, and a water amount sensor 16 can be used. These sensors 11 to 16 communicate with the management terminal 30 directly or via the relay unit 17 by wireless or wired.

Further, the number and position of the position information sensor 11, the temperature sensor 12, the humidity sensor 13, the wind speed sensor 14, the power sensor 15, and the water amount sensor 16 are the size of the management area 10, the number of areas in the management area, and the like. Will be adjusted according to.

The position information sensor 11 detects whether there is a cow in a predetermined area where the position information sensor 11 is provided. At that time, the position information sensor 11 associates the identifier of the cow in the predetermined area and / or the identifier of the activity state sensor module 20, the identifier of the position information sensor 11 itself, and the detection date and time information. To the management terminal 30. For example, the position information sensor 11 may be provided in the entire management area 10 or a predetermined area (feeding place, drinking place, cow bed, etc.) 10A to detect whether there is a cow in the feeding place, drinking place, or cow bed. it can. As will be described in detail later, the information from the position information sensor 11 is used to support the management terminal 30 in determining whether the cow is performing a foraging activity or a drinking activity.

The position information sensor 11 may employ an infrared sensor for detecting a cow, or a detecting means for detecting a cow by photographing the cow with a camera and performing predetermined image processing, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-256051. A detection technique using one or a plurality of leaky coaxial cables described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2012-83339, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2013-101093, or the like may be employed. In addition, GPS technology may be used to detect the position of the cow as the position information sensor 11, but in this case, a GPS receiver as the position information sensor 11 is incorporated in the activity state sensor module 20, and GPS reception is performed. The machine transmits information related to the signal received from the GPS satellite to the management terminal 30 so that the management terminal 30 (position determination unit 309 described later) determines the position (cow position) of the activity state sensor module 20. Good.

When a technology using a leaky coaxial cable (LCX) is adopted as the position information sensor 11, one or a plurality of LCXs are laid in the entire management area 10 or in a predetermined area and connected to one end or both ends of each LCX. The access point having the transmitted / received function is connected to the management terminal 30 as a control device of the access point. Then, the management terminal 30 (a position determination unit 309 described later) adjusts the transmission output of the access point and specifies the position of the activity state sensor module 20 based on the information received from the activity state sensor module 20. In addition to the management terminal 30, a control device for controlling the transmission output of the access point and the like is provided separately, and the management terminal 30 determines the position of each activity state sensor module 20 based on information from the control device.

The temperature sensor 12 measures the ambient temperature and transmits the information to the management terminal 30 in association with the identifier of the temperature sensor 12 and the measurement date and time. The humidity sensor 13 measures the surrounding humidity and transmits the information to the management terminal 30 in association with the identifier of the humidity sensor 13 and the measurement date and time.

The wind speed sensor 14 measures the strength and direction of the surrounding wind, and transmits the information to the management terminal 30 in association with the identifier of the wind speed sensor 14 and the measurement date and time. The power sensor 15 measures the power consumed in the management area 10 and transmits the information to the management terminal 30. The water amount sensor 16 measures the amount of water used in the management area 10 and transmits the information to the management terminal 30.

In addition,

user terminals

50 and 51 such as PCs, smartphones, or tablet terminals access information (database 313) of the management terminal 30 and / or database 60 on the cloud via the network 40 such as the Internet, LAN, or WAN. You may be able to do it. At this time, the

user terminals

50 and 51 may be able to access the database 313 of the management terminal 30 and / or the database 60 on the cloud through a web browser or a predetermined application.

<Activity sensor module 20>
The activity state sensor module 20 is a sensor module including a plurality of sensors that measure the acceleration of the cow and the ambient temperature and pressure. The active state sensor module 20 is an active sensor module that includes a battery and an antenna (not shown) and performs wireless communication by itself, and does not require, for example, reading of information by a reader.

The position where the activity state sensor module 20 is attached to the cow is not limited, but can be attached to the neck of the cow using a collar or the like. In order to accurately measure a change in acceleration, a change in height position, and the like due to the activity state of the cow, the activity state sensor module 20 is preferably attached in the vicinity of the cow's throat. Further, the activity state sensor module 20 may be an implantable type of cow.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the activity state sensor module 20. As shown in FIG. 2, the activity state sensor module 20 includes a three-axis acceleration sensor 21, an atmospheric pressure sensor 22, a temperature sensor 23, a control unit 24, a storage unit 25, a communication unit 26, and a timer 27. The barometric sensor 22 and / or the temperature sensor 23 of the activity state sensor module 20 are optional elements. The activity state sensor module 20 may further include an angular velocity sensor (not shown) (such as a gyroscope or an optical fiber gyro).

In addition, the identifier of the activity state sensor module 20 and / or the identifier of the cow to which it is mounted is stored in the storage unit 25, and when sending information (measurement values) from the activity state sensor module 20 to the management terminal 30, It is sent in association with the identifier of the activity state sensor module 20 and / or the identifier of the cow and the measurement date and time obtained from the timer 27. Thereby, the management terminal 30 can identify and manage the measurement date and time, such as a cow, the activity state of the cow, and the activity state. The management terminal 30 associates the identifier of the management state sensor module 20 with the identifier of the cow to which the management state sensor module 20 is attached in advance, and the activity state sensor module 20 transmits its own identifier to the management terminal 30. However, it is possible to check the identifier of the cow based on the information and manage various data in association with the identifier of the cow.

The triaxial acceleration sensor 21 measures acceleration in the front and rear (X axis), left and right (Y axis), and vertical (Z axis) directions of the cow at predetermined time intervals (for example, several tens of milliseconds). Output to the control unit 24. The atmospheric pressure sensor 22 is a high-precision and high-resolution atmospheric pressure sensor that can detect a change in atmospheric pressure in units of several centimeters every predetermined time (for example, several tens of milliseconds), and the height position of the activity state sensor module 20 Measure the atmospheric pressure at, and output information on the height position corresponding to the atmospheric pressure to the control unit 24. The temperature sensor 23 measures the temperature near the temperature sensor 23 every predetermined time (for example, several seconds), and outputs the information to the control unit 24.

The control unit 24 includes a CPU, an I / O, and the like, inputs information (measured values) measured by the triaxial acceleration sensor 21, the atmospheric pressure sensor 22, and the temperature sensor 23, and stores the information in the storage unit 25. The processing, the measurement value, the identifier of the activity state sensor module 20 and / or the identifier of the cow, and the information of the measurement date and time are associated with each other and set in a predetermined format, and then the processing to output to the communication unit 26 is performed. Note that, as described above, the control unit 24 of the activity state sensor module 20 may be responsible for each functional unit (collectively, the activity state determination unit) of the management terminal 30 that determines the activity state of the cow, which will be described later. .

The storage unit 25 includes a non-volatile memory or the like, stores various programs and software necessary for processing by the cow identifier and the control unit 24, and temporarily stores information acquired from the activity state sensor module 20. .

The communication unit 26 has a data transmission / reception function, and from each sensor 21 to 23 associated with the cow identifier and the measurement date and time by the control unit 24 at a predetermined period or in response to a request from the management terminal 30. Information (measured value) is transmitted to the management terminal 30 via the relay 17 by wireless communication. When the technology using the leaky coaxial cable is adopted as the position information sensor 11, the communication unit 26 receives the electric field strength leaking from the leaky coaxial cable, and the control unit 24 uses the received electric field strength information as the cow identifier. Processing such as association is performed, and the communication unit 26 transmits the processed information to an access point connected to the leaky coaxial cable. The management terminal 30 as an access point control device determines the position of the activity state sensor module 20 based on the received information.

Further, the activity state sensor module 20 may further include a biological sensor that measures a cow's body temperature, heart rate, myoelectric signal, or the like. Information (measured values) from these biosensors is also sent to the management terminal 30, and the management terminal 30 may refer to these information in order to support the determination of the cow's activity state and the management of the cow's physical condition.

<Management terminal 30>
FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of the management terminal 30.

The management terminal 30 includes, as function units realized in accordance with programs and software installed in the auxiliary storage device, a foraging determination unit 301, a drinking water determination unit 302, a walking determination unit 303, a recumbent determination unit 304, and a travel determination unit 305. , At least two of stationary determination unit 306, estrus determination unit 307, and rumination determination unit 308. Preferably, the management terminal 30 includes at least a foraging determination unit 301, a drinking water determination unit 302, a recumbent determination unit 304, and an estrus determination unit 307. Here, the foraging determination unit 301, the drinking water determination unit 302, the walking determination unit 303, the recumbent determination unit 304, the travel determination unit 305, the stationary determination unit 306, the estrus determination unit 307, and the rumination determination unit 308 are the activity states of cattle. Since these are functional units that determine the above, they are collectively referred to as an activity state determination unit. As described above, the activity state determination unit may be assigned to the control unit 24 of the activity state sensor module 20.

In addition, the management terminal 30 functions as a position determination unit 309 that determines the position (cow position) of each activity state sensor module 20 based on information from the position detection sensor 11 provided in the management area 10. Based on information from various sensors 12 to 16 provided in the management area 10, the environment for judging the environmental conditions (temperature, humidity, wind direction and strength, power consumption, water usage, etc.) of the management area 10 A state determination unit 310 is included.

Further, the management terminal 30 acquires information acquired from the communication unit 311 having the function of communicating with each activity state sensor module 20 and the various sensors 11 to 16 via the network 40, the activity state sensor module 20 and the various sensors 11 to 16. And a display unit 314 having a function of displaying various information on a screen such as a liquid crystal display according to a predetermined format.

The storage unit 312 also stores a database 313 including data after processing by the various determination units 301 to 310. The database 313 includes, but is not limited to, a table having a cow identifier and / or activity state sensor module 20 identifier field, a measurement date and time field, an activity type field, a location information field, and an environmental state field. May be managed.

The foraging determination unit 301 is determined by the position determination unit 309 mainly based on information (measured values) from the triaxial acceleration sensor 21 and information from the position information sensor 11 provided in the feeding area in the management area 10. Based on the position information of the cow, it is determined whether or not the cow is in foraging. In general, when feeding cattle, the grass is caught in the mouth with a tongue, sandwiched between the lower incisor and the upper gingival plate, and the head is chopped back and forth and left and right to tear the grass. After going round, chew and swallow. For this reason, the foraging determination unit 301 indicates that the information of the triaxial acceleration sensor 21 indicates a measurement pattern of the small movement that is characteristic at the time of foraging of the cow, and the position determination unit 309 indicates that the cow is in the feeding area. When it is judged, the cow is judged to be foraging. The foraging determination unit 301 can also use information from other sensors for determining foraging activities. For example, in general, cows walk while lowering their heads in a low position to eat the grass and sniffing the scent of the grass, so that the head of the cow is continuously low for a predetermined time in the management area 10 which is a pasture. There is a high probability that the cattle are foraging. Therefore, the foraging determination unit 301 can use the information on the height position of the head (neck) of the cow obtained from the atmospheric pressure sensor 22 for the determination of the foraging activity.

The drinking water determination unit 302 mainly uses the information (measured values) from the triaxial acceleration sensor 21 and the information from the position information sensor 11 provided in the drinking area in the management area 10 for the cow determined by the position determination unit 309. Based on the location information, it is determined whether the cow is drinking water. Generally, cows move their heads (especially the lower jaw) up, down, left and right when drinking water. From this, the drinking water judging unit 302 shows the measurement pattern of the small minute movement peculiar to the cow drinking from the information of the three-axis acceleration sensor 21, and the position judging unit 309 judges that the cow is in the drinking water area. When it is, it is determined that the cow is drinking water. It should be noted that the drinking water determination unit 302 may determine the eating activity using information from other sensors. For example, when the drinking fountain is at a predetermined height and the cow drinks water with his head at that height when drinking water, the drinking water determination unit 302 may use the head of the cow obtained from the atmospheric pressure sensor 22 ( Information on the height position of the neck) can be used to determine drinking activities.

The walking determination unit 303 determines whether or not the cow is in walking activity mainly based on information (measurement value) from the triaxial acceleration sensor 21. In general, when a cow walks, it sends out one forefoot toward the ground in the direction of movement, and when that leg lands, it sends out the other forefoot toward the ground in the direction of movement and repeats this. Move on foot. Accordingly, the walking determination unit 303 determines that the cow is performing a walking activity when the information of the three-axis acceleration sensor 21 indicates a measurement pattern of movement specific to the cow walking.

The recumbent determination unit 304 determines whether or not the cow is in a recumbent state mainly based on information (measurement values) from the triaxial acceleration sensor 21 (and information from the angular velocity sensor may also be used). In general, when the cow does not move and the vertical movement is small, it is considered that the cow is in a recumbent state, and the recumbent determination unit 304 also estimates the recumbent state of the cow from the acceleration and angular velocity of the cow movement. A known algorithm (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2016-043121) may be used. Further, based on information from the position information sensor 11 provided in the cow bed area in the management area 10, the position determination unit 309 determines that the cow is on the cow bed, and the three-axis acceleration sensor 21 (optionally an angular velocity sensor is also included). ), If the cow does not move and the vertical movement is small, the recumbent determination unit 304 may determine that the cow is in a recumbent state. Further, when the cow is lying down, the position of the head (neck) of the cow is at a low position, so the lying judgment unit 304 uses the information from the pressure sensor 22 to judge the lying state. Also good.

The traveling determination unit 305 determines whether the cow is in a running state (running activity) mainly based on information from the triaxial acceleration sensor 21. In general, the information of the triaxial acceleration sensor 21 based on the running activity of the cow shows a measurement pattern similar to that of the walking activity, but the intensity thereof is relatively large. Therefore, the traveling determination unit 303 determines that the cow is performing a traveling activity when the information of the three-axis acceleration sensor 21 indicates a measurement pattern of movement specific to the traveling of the cow.

The stationary determination unit 306 determines whether or not the cow is in a stationary state mainly based on information (measured values) from the triaxial acceleration sensor 21. For example, it is generally considered that a cow is at rest when the cow is standing still or lying on its side. In this way, the stationary determination unit 303 determines that the cow is in a stationary state based on the information from the triaxial acceleration sensor 21.

The estrus determination unit 307 determines whether the cow is in an estrus state (estrus activity) mainly based on information (measurement value) from the three-axis acceleration sensor 21. In general, when a cow enters an estrus state, the amount of walking and travel (total amount of movement) per unit time of the cow increases compared to a period when the cow is not in the estrus state, and the time required for lying or resting also decreases. Here, estrus means a state in which the cow is in an excited state due to reproductive activity. From this, the estrus determination unit 307 is based on the information from the three-axis acceleration sensor 21, and the amount of walking and the amount of travel per unit time (total amount of movement) of a plurality of consecutive periods (for example, three periods). If it is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, the cow is determined to be in estrus. Moreover, in order to distinguish from the normal excitement state of a cow, since the estrus cycle of a cow is 21 days, you may make it the estrus judgment part 307 act | operate in the period before and after 21 days from the last estrus.

The rumination determination unit 308 determines whether or not the cow is in rumination activity based mainly on information (measurement values) from the three-axis acceleration sensor 21. In general, cow rumination is seen when the cow is standing or lying down, and once fed grass turns into a bolus from the rumen and returns to the mouth, moving the lower jaw left and right to move the molars Then, chew the bolus and swallow after chewing about 40-50 times per bolus. For this reason, the information from the triaxial acceleration sensor 21 indicates that after the bolus is moved back into the mouth from the rumen, the movement is temporarily stopped after the head is moved about 40 to 50 times, the bolus is swallowed, and the bolus is swallowed again. It shows a measurement pattern that regularly changes according to the movement of stopping and swallowing after moving the lump from the rumen to the mouth for about 40-50 times. From this, the rumination determination unit 308 determines that the cow is performing rumination activity when the information from the three-axis acceleration sensor 21 indicates a measurement pattern of movement specific to the cow's rumination.

The position determination unit 309 determines the position of each activity state sensor module 20 located in the area based on information from the position information sensor 11 provided in a predetermined area of the management area 10. Here, as an example, a case where the position information sensor 11 is a technique using a pair of leaky coaxial cables (LCX) laid in a feeding ground (or a drinking fountain or a cow bed) will be described. Generally, the electric field strength detected by the active state sensor module 20 decreases as the distance from the access point connected to the end of the LCX increases or the distance from the LCX increases. For example, the electric field strength E detected by the active state sensor module 20 at a position separated from the access point by L along the LCX and by D in the direction orthogonal to the LCX is E = {G × P [k / ( R × L)] / D} ^1/2 . In the above equation, G is a radiation gain (reception sensitivity) determined by the LCX used, P is a transmission output of the access point, k is a constant determined by the material and structure of the LCX, and R is a high frequency pure resistance of the LCX. . From the above equation, G, k, and R values for each LCX are obtained empirically in advance, and the activity state sensor module is calculated from the measured electric field strength E value and the transmission output P value of each access point of each LCX. Twenty positions can be uniquely identified. For example, the position determination unit 309 of the management terminal 30 gradually increases the transmission output of each access point (including information on the identifier of each access point) to be sent to each LCX, and each transmission output has a certain value. Occasionally, the activity state sensor module 20 identifies and detects the electric field strength (E1, E2) from each LCX, and the information is sent to the management terminal 30 together with the identifier of the activity state sensor module 20 (or cow). The position determination unit 309 determines the position of the active state sensor module 20 based on the detected electric field strength information regarding each access point received from the active state sensor module 20 and the identifier of the active state sensor module 20. The position determination unit 309 acquires information on the position of each activity state sensor module 20 at a predetermined cycle (for example, every second), and associates with the identifier of each activity state sensor module 20 and the measurement date and time in the database 313 of the storage unit 312. And / or stored in the database 60 on the cloud.

The management terminal 30 acquires various information from the activity state sensor module 20 attached to each cow and the various sensors 11 to 16 provided in the management area 10 at predetermined time intervals (or at the request of the management terminal 30). Then, the storage unit 312 temporarily stores the information, and based on the information, the various determination units 301 to 310 determine the activity state of the cow, the environmental state of the management area 10, and the like. Add to the database 60 on the cloud.

By constructing a database 313 and / or a database 60 on the cloud (big data) regarding the activity status of multiple types of cattle, the activity status of the cattle that is a precursor to cattle estrus and disease is analyzed, Enables accurate prediction for estrus, disease, and impact on milking amount.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart by the management terminal 30 showing such a series of flows. The flow from the start to the end of FIG. 4 is repeated at predetermined time intervals, and the database 313 and / or the database 60 on the cloud is constructed.

As shown in FIG. 4, first, in step S401, the management terminal 30 acquires various information from the activity state sensor module 20 attached to each cow at predetermined time intervals (or at the request of the management terminal 30). And temporarily stored in the storage unit 312.

In step S402, the management terminal 30 converts the information acquired in S401 into the foraging determination unit 301, the drinking water determination unit 302, the walking determination unit 303, the recumbent determination unit 304, the travel determination unit 305, the stationary determination unit 306, and the estrus determination unit. 307 and the rumination determination unit 308, and it is determined which of the eight types of activity states among the eight types of eating, drinking, walking, lying down, running, resting, estrus, and rumination, as the behavior of the cow.

In step S403, the management terminal 30 associates the information on the activity state of the cow determined in S402 with the identifier of the cow and / or the identifier of the activity state sensor module 20 and the information on the date and time when the activity state was measured, and the storage unit Add to the database 313 of 312 and / or the database 60 on the cloud.

In step S404, the management terminal 30 acquires various information from the various sensors 12 to 16 provided in the management area 10 at predetermined time intervals (or at the request of the management terminal 30), and temporarily stores them in the storage unit 312. Remember me.

In step S405, the management terminal 30 processes the information acquired in S404 in the environmental state determination unit 309, and the environmental state of the management area 10 (temperature, humidity, wind direction and strength, power usage, and water usage). ).

In step S406, the management terminal 30 adds information on the environmental state determined in S405 to the database 313 in the storage unit 312 and / or the database 60 on the cloud in association with the date / time information.

In step S407, the management terminal 30 transmits the information extracted from the database 313 and / or the database 60 on the cloud to the

user terminals

50 and 51 at a predetermined interval or in response to a request from the

user terminals

50 and 51. Various information is displayed on the screens of the

user terminals

50 and 51 in accordance with a predetermined interface. The predetermined interface will be described later.

Note that the order of steps S401 to S407 is not limited to this order, and may be changed as appropriate.

Here, an example of a user interface displayed on the screen of the

user terminals

50 and 51 provided by the display unit 314 of the management terminal 30 will be described with reference to FIGS.

The user interface 500 shown in FIG. 5 is a screen that displays the amount of activity for each cow. The cow individual data (identifier, cow number, sex, coat color, conception status, name, date of birth, date of purchase, date of sale, etc.) ) Button 501 for accessing the screen for displaying, the button 502 for accessing the screen for displaying the milking amount (daily amount, total amount for one month, etc.) of the cow, the type of the daily activity state of the cow and A column 503 for displaying a breakdown of the activity amount (activity time, time in the state in the case of rest or recumbency), a column 504 for displaying the total amount for each activity type yesterday, and a certain type of activity of a selected cow in a month A column 505 for displaying a change in the amount of activity in a graph and a column 506 for displaying an indicator of the amount of activity related to the estrus of the selected cow and its reliability are included.

In addition, the user interface 600 shown in FIG. 6 includes columns 601 to 603 for displaying the stress index, temperature, and humidity for each management area 10, a column 604 for displaying a monthly transition of the stress index in each management area, and each management area. A column 605 for displaying a monthly change in temperature of the area in a graph, a column 606 for displaying a monthly change in humidity in each management area, and a column 607 for displaying the total amount of power consumption and water usage in each management area Etc. are included.

The stress index is a temperature-humidity index (THI), and is obtained from the following equation, for example.
THI = 0.8T + 0.01H (T-14.3) + 46.3T
Here, T represents temperature (° C.) and H represents humidity (%). In the case of cattle, THI is 72 or less and comfortable, 73 to 80 is slightly hot, 80 to 90 is hot, 90 to 98 is severe heat, and 98 or more is dangerous. If the THI exceeds 73, the cow feels stress, and the milk yield and quality are reduced, and the milk yield may be reduced by 10 to 20%. Therefore, the user can list the stress index of each management area through the user interface 600, and the environmental condition of each management area can be improved.

(Other)
The management terminal of the activity state management system according to an embodiment of the present invention has an analysis unit as a functional unit, and the analysis unit automatically checks the estrus activity of cattle to reduce the problem of breeding delay. be able to. Analyzing the database, cows whose time of rest or recumbency is increasing may have mastitis or other diseases, and such cows are detected early and treated early. It becomes possible.

Moreover, other embodiment of this invention is based on the measured value of the triaxial acceleration sensor and the atmospheric | air pressure sensor with which the cow was mounted | worn, The said foraging determination part 301, the drinking water determination part 302, the walk determination part 303, the lying reflex determination part The present invention relates to a computer program for causing a computer to function as at least two determination units selected from the group consisting of 304, a travel determination unit 305, a stationary determination unit 306, an estrus determination unit 307, and a rumination determination unit 308. The computer program may be installed in the activity state sensor module 20 or the management terminal 30.

Further, in another embodiment of the present invention, a server that realizes the various functional units of the management terminal 30 described above may be provided on the cloud, and the server may determine various activity states of the cow.

The dimensions, materials, shapes, and relative positions of the components described in the detailed description of the present invention are arbitrary, and may be changed according to the structure of the apparatus or system to which the present invention is applied or various conditions. The Further, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment specifically described.

The present invention is applicable to a cow activity state management system.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Activity state management system 10 Management area 10A Predetermined area 20 in management area 20 Activity state sensor module 21 3-axis acceleration sensor 22 Barometric pressure sensor 23 Temperature sensor 24 Control part 25 Storage part 26 Communication part 27 Timer 30 Management terminal 301 Foraging judgment Unit 302 drinking determination unit 303 walking determination unit 304 recumbent determination unit 305 travel determination unit 306 stationary determination unit 307 estrus determination unit 308 rumination determination unit 309 position determination unit 310 environmental state determination unit 311 communication unit 312 storage unit 313 database 314 display unit 40 Network 50 User terminal 51 User terminal 60 Database on cloud

Claims

An activity state sensor module mounted on a cow in a controlled area, the activity state sensor module comprising a three-axis acceleration sensor; and
A cow activity state management system comprising: an activity state determination unit that determines a plurality of activity states of a cow based on measurement values of the three-axis acceleration sensor showing different measurement patterns according to the plurality of activity states of the cow.
Based on the information from the position information sensor provided in the management area, further has a position determination unit that determines the position of the cow,
The activity state determination unit includes:
(I) When the position determination unit determines that the cow is in the feeding area of the management area, and the measured value of the three-axis acceleration sensor indicates a specific measurement pattern at the time of cow feeding, the cow A foraging judgment unit for judging that the foraging activity is being carried out,
(Ii) When the position determining unit determines that the cow is in the drinking area of the management area and the measured value of the three-axis acceleration sensor shows a specific measurement pattern when drinking the cow, the cow is drinking water. Drinking water judgment part judging that we are carrying out activities,
(Iii) A walking determination unit that determines that the cow is performing a walking activity when the measurement value of the three-axis acceleration sensor indicates a measurement pattern peculiar to the cow walking.
(Iv) a recumbent determination unit that determines that the cow is in a recumbent state when the measurement value of the three-axis acceleration sensor indicates a specific measurement pattern when the cow is recumbent;
(V) a traveling determination unit that determines that the cow is performing a traveling activity when the measurement value of the three-axis acceleration sensor indicates a specific measurement pattern during the traveling of the cow;
(Vi) a stationary determination unit that determines that the cow is in a stationary state when the measurement value of the three-axis acceleration sensor shows a unique measurement pattern when the cow is stationary;
(Vii) Based on the measured value of the three-axis acceleration sensor, when the cow's walking amount and running amount per unit time are equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold for a plurality of consecutive periods, the cow performs estrus activity. And (viii) when the measured value of the three-axis acceleration sensor shows a specific measurement pattern at the time of cow rumination, it is judged that the target cow is performing rumination activity. The activity state management system according to claim 1, comprising at least two determination units selected from the group consisting of rumination determination units.
The activity state management system according to claim 2, wherein the activity state determination unit includes the foraging determination unit, the drinking water determination unit, the recumbent determination unit, and the estrus determination unit.
A management terminal comprising the activity state determination unit and the position determination unit;
The determined activity state of the cow is added to the database of the management terminal and / or the database on the cloud in association with the identifier of the cow and / or the identifier of the activity state sensor module and the measurement date and time information. The activity state management system according to 2 or 3.
The management terminal is configured to determine an environmental state of the management area based on information acquired from at least one of a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, a power sensor, and a water amount sensor provided in the management area. The activity state management system according to any one of claims 2 to 4, comprising:
The activity state sensor module includes a barometric sensor,
The atmospheric pressure sensor measures the atmospheric pressure at the height position, generates information on the height position corresponding to the atmospheric pressure,
The activity state management system according to claim 1, wherein the activity state determination unit determines a plurality of activity states of the cow based on the measurement value of the three-axis acceleration sensor and the information on the height position.
Based on information from the position information sensor provided in the management area, the computer functions as a position determination unit that determines the position of the cow,
(I) When the position determination unit determines that the cow is in the feeding area of the management area, and the measured value of the three-axis acceleration sensor indicates a specific measurement pattern at the time of cow feeding, the cow A foraging judgment unit for judging that the foraging activity is being carried out,
(Ii) When the position determining unit determines that the cow is in the drinking area of the management area and the measured value of the three-axis acceleration sensor shows a specific measurement pattern when drinking the cow, the cow is drinking water. Drinking water judgment part judging that we are carrying out activities,
(Iii) A walking determination unit that determines that the cow is performing a walking activity when the measurement value of the three-axis acceleration sensor indicates a measurement pattern peculiar to the cow walking.
(Iv) a recumbent determination unit that determines that the cow is in a recumbent state when the measurement value of the three-axis acceleration sensor indicates a specific measurement pattern when the cow is recumbent;
(V) a traveling determination unit that determines that the cow is performing a traveling activity when the measurement value of the three-axis acceleration sensor indicates a specific measurement pattern during the traveling of the cow;
(Vi) a stationary determination unit that determines that the cow is in a stationary state when the measurement value of the three-axis acceleration sensor shows a unique measurement pattern when the cow is stationary;
(Vii) Based on the measured value of the three-axis acceleration sensor, when the cow's walking amount and running amount per unit time are equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold for a plurality of consecutive periods, the cow performs estrus activity. And (viii) when the measured value of the three-axis acceleration sensor shows a specific measurement pattern at the time of cow rumination, it is judged that the target cow is performing rumination activity. A computer program for causing a computer to function as at least two determination units selected from the group consisting of rumination determination units.