Abstract #M381
Section: Ruminant Nutrition
Session: Ruminant Nutrition: Dairy I
Format: Poster
Day/Time: Monday 7:30 AM–9:30 AM
Location: Gatlin Ballroom
Session: Ruminant Nutrition: Dairy I
Format: Poster
Day/Time: Monday 7:30 AM–9:30 AM
Location: Gatlin Ballroom
# M381
Validation of a radio frequency system for monitoring feeding behavior and intake of feed and water in young cattle.
Baltazar Ruas de Oliveira Júnior1, Marcelo Neves Ribas2, Fernanda Samarini Machado3, Juliana Aparecida Mello Lima1, Luigi Francis Lima Cavalcanti2, Mario Luiz Chizzotti4, Rafael Alves de Azevedo*1, Sandra Gesteira Coelho1, 1Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil, 2CNPq, RHAE–SEVA Engenharia, Projeto Intergado, Contagem, MG, Brazil, 3EMBRAPA Dairy Cattle, Juiz de Fora, MG, Brazil, 4Federal University of Viçosa, Viçosa, MG, Brazil.
Key Words: electronic monitoring, heifer, precision farming
Validation of a radio frequency system for monitoring feeding behavior and intake of feed and water in young cattle.
Baltazar Ruas de Oliveira Júnior1, Marcelo Neves Ribas2, Fernanda Samarini Machado3, Juliana Aparecida Mello Lima1, Luigi Francis Lima Cavalcanti2, Mario Luiz Chizzotti4, Rafael Alves de Azevedo*1, Sandra Gesteira Coelho1, 1Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil, 2CNPq, RHAE–SEVA Engenharia, Projeto Intergado, Contagem, MG, Brazil, 3EMBRAPA Dairy Cattle, Juiz de Fora, MG, Brazil, 4Federal University of Viçosa, Viçosa, MG, Brazil.
The objective was to validate a radio frequency system for monitoring individual feeding behavior, water and feed consumption in young cattle housed in group. Thirty 5 Holstein-Gyr crossbred heifers, fitted with an ear tag containing a unique passive transponder, were distributed in 3 groups of 12, 12 and 11 animals per period and had free access to 12 electronic feed bins and 2 electronic water bins (Intergado, Contagem, Brazil). The system documented the visit duration and feed and water intake by recording animal’s identification tag, bin number, initial and final times of visits, and the difference of feed/water weight at start and end for each bin visit. Feed bins were monitored by time-lapse video recording over 4 d and the water bins over 6 d. Video data on animal behavior were compared with those generated by the system. Feed and water consumption were measured using an external scale. For each feed bin, 2 feeding events were monitored using manual weighing’s immediately before and after the animal’s visit and the difference between them was assumed as feed intake (n = 24 observations). For water bins there were made 60 manual weighing’s. These data were compared with those recorded by the system. Video and manual weighing data were regressed on the electronic feeding behavior and feed and water intakes data to evaluate system’s precision and accuracy. The system showed a high specificity (98.98 and 98.56% for the feed and water bins, respectively) and sensitivity (99.25 and 98.74%, respectively) for identifying animal’s presence or absence. Duration of feed and water bins visits, and feed and water consumption per visit estimated by the system were highly correlated and precise (R2 = 0.917, 0.963, 0.973 and 0.986, respectively) when compared with observed video and manual weighing data. Feed daily intake per visit registered electronically and manual weighing differed by less than 150 g. It was concluded that Intergado system is a useful tool for monitoring feeding behavior, water and feed intakes in young cattle housed in group.
Key Words: electronic monitoring, heifer, precision farming
