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\u201cThey\u2019re not just part of a security system. European researchers say they\u2019ve developed and installed the devices to increase the wellbeing of animals, as well as the farm\u2019s productivity,\u201d reported euro news\u2019 Juli\u00e1n L\u00f3pez G\u00f3mez from a farm in Kessel, in The Netherlands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Chicken cams<\/strong> Around 20-thousand chickens are under close surveillance on the farm in Kessel, their every move tracked by cameras and microphones. \u201cCameras and microphones help me detect in real time when the animals are stressed for whatever reason,\u201d explained farmer Twan Colberts. \u201cSo I can find solutions faster and in more efficient ways, without me being constantly here, checking each animal.\u201d Animal scientists, bio-engineers and vets are part of this European research project. Fast, chaotic animal movements could indicate temperature, feeding or drinking problems for instance. \u201cIf a feeding line would block, like this feeding line going along here on this picture, then you would see all the birds moving from that feeding line and going to another,\u201d said Luc Rooijakkers, Project Manager, Fancom, as he showed us some images. \u201cNow for instance we can see that the birds are moving really fast. What\u2019s happening we don\u2019t know. We are now very close to the door of the (hen) house, so maybe they just hear us talking a little bit too much and they are scaring away.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\nReliable data<\/strong> Some of the platform algorithms and computer tools were partially developed at the University of Leuven, in cooperation with another 20 partners. Researchers say they can identify real problems in 95 out of every 100 alarms raised. \u201cThe distribution of animals varies depending on factors like climate, temperature, quality of the soil etcetera,\u201d explained Alberto Pena Fernandez, a bio scientist and research assistant at the University of Leuven. \u201cWe have data about what, in a given farm, should be the average levels for all those factors which \u2013 when combined \u2013 affect animal behavior. So, when we make our predictions, we can discriminate quite accurately, and identify with some precision, the real problem for animals on the farm.\u201d Listening in for pig coughs In Meijel in The Netherlands, pigs are being monitored for coughing \u2013 a possible sign of a highly infectious respiratory disease. Algorithms isolate the sounds in the barn. \u201cMy average visit time to a shed like this is around 10 minutes, spending up to two or three seconds checking each animal,\u201d explained farmer John Verhoijsen. \u201cWith the cough monitoring system, their health is checked 24 hours a day, seven days a week. So, I can be more reactive in eventually limiting the spread of disease.\u201d Other cameras tested at the farm give data about the weight of animals before and after being fed. Information researchers hope will eventually help farmers to increase the safety and traceability of products. \u201cOne of the big next steps is to bring internet to all farms in Europe. We are still far away from that,\u201d commented Daniel Berckmans, a bioscience engineers and professor at the University of Leuven and EU-PLF project coordinator. \u201cSo, the farmer of the future will not only sell meat or animals, he will sell data. And that will create new information for all people in the food chain and the consumer.\u201d Around 20 experimental farms have been kitted out with these systems and six smart precision livestock products have so far been developed. This innovation was made possible by Israel\u2019s continued participation in the official Horizon 2020 fund, managed in Israel by ISERD part of The Israel Innovation Authority (Formerly the Office of the Chief Scientist and MATIMOP). The initiative has taken Israeli R&D to the next level with the help of ground-breaking collaboration between scientists in Israel and Europe, as well as essential funding and support.<\/p>\n\n\n\nProject details<\/strong>Project acronym:<\/strong> EU-PLFParticipants: <\/strong>Belgium (Coordinator), Italy, Sweden, UK, Netherlands, Israel, France, Ireland, Spain, Faroe Islands, GermanyProject Reference N\u00b0<\/strong> 311825Total cost:<\/strong> \u20ac8 013 217EU contribution:<\/strong> \u20ac5 895 357Duration: <\/strong>November 2012 – October 2016<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Surveillance technology monitors animal wellbeing Background Humans have long been under CCTV surveillance, but now chickens and pigs are being watched too – by big farmer technology! Researchers have set up cameras, sensors and microphones at some 20 experimental smart farms all over Europe – to track animal movements. \u201cThey\u2019re not just part of a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"template":"","geographic_location":[96],"collaboration_opportunities":[97,98,99,100,102,101],"technologies":[],"class_list":["post-2453","success_story","type-success_story","status-publish","hentry","geographic_location-europe","collaboration_opportunities-academia","collaboration_opportunities-enterprise","collaboration_opportunities-entrepreneur","collaboration_opportunities-government","collaboration_opportunities-investors","collaboration_opportunities-media"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
EU-PLF - English Innovation Site<\/title>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n