A Review of Sensor Technologies Applicable for Domestic Livestock Production and Health Management

Abstract

The world is running for the digitalization of social, economic, and political endeavors. As the world is getting into technologies of various streams of development, agriculture, especially livestock production, is also one of the areas of development that requires the application or use of emerging technologies. But knowledge and skill are relatively scanty, particularly in developing countries. Hence, it is vital to fill this gap of knowledge by compiling information and presenting it to a large audience for further research in the field. In the era of the advent of sensors for broader fields, it is important to consider the possible application of these technologies in rangeland condition assessment and animal production. The technologies are more relevant in the implementation of precisions farming practices of livestock including the individual animal behavior, grazing condition, health condition, and forage intakes. For grazing stock, it is vital to assess the status of both livestock grazing behavior and rangeland resource conditions. The rangeland resources are important components of livestock production throughout the world. Forages and pasture are dynamics in the abundance, species composition, and chemical composition as a result of environmental and management changes. The rangeland resources must be assessed and monitored for better management and utilization. Conventional assessments which include manual or mechanical counting, identification, and chemical composition are laborious and time-consuming. Under field conditions, not only grazing lands condition can be monitored using sensors but also is possible to understand the grazing behavior of animals for better management of grazing stock. To complement and or replace conventional techniques, it is vital to understand the current technologies such as sensors or biosensors. This review study is organized to increase awareness of the available technologies and their relevance regarding rangeland resources, particularly in tropical rangelands. In most cases, in the tropics, GPS systems are commonly used to assess only the rangeland status without considering the grazing stock. The review also elucidates that sensor technologies are important to detect livestock health conditions and movements at the field level in a rapid and easy way. However, like other technologies, sensors (biosensors) have limitations including accuracy of measurements and repetitive data accusations. Nevertheless, the review elucidates the use of sensor technologies and saves time and energy in animal production which otherwise could demand extensive energy and time.

Machine Learning-Based Sensor Data Fusion for Animal Monitoring: Scoping Review

“…These tendencies align with the advancements witnessed in sensor-based animal monitoring, which have revolutionized our understanding of and interaction with animals. Specifically, sensor-based animal monitoring has substantially contributed to three key areas: animal welfare [ 52 ], wildlife conservation [ 53 ], and livestock management [ 54 ]. Animal welfare encompasses the ethical and compassionate treatment of animals, taking into account their physical, mental, and emotional well-being.…”

“…Surprisingly, only two papers specifically focused on domestic animals, such as dogs (8.7%). The predominance of farm animal studies can be attributed to their significant commercial, nutritional, and health importance [ 54 ]. In contrast, the focus on wild animals reflects the growing interest in wildlife conservation and management [ 53 ].…”

Perception of Stakeholders for Meat Qualities among Value Chain Actors in Ethiopia

“…To mitigate the shortage of human resources in meat-processing skills for both domestic and export markets, training should be developed in the short and long term. This training should be planned with collaborations of the Ethiopian Meat and Dairy Development Institute (EMDDI), universities, research institutes of science and technology, and technical and vocational and educational training (TVET) on generating better technologies for application in livestock production and product processing and allocation of adequate capital required on the supply side [ 39 , 43 , 44 ].…”

Applying Remote Sensing Methods to Estimate Alterations in Land Cover Change and Degradation in the Desert Regions of the Southeast Iberian Peninsula

“…The main objective of the study was to investigate changes in the vegetation and soil patterns in the drylands of the Southeast Iberian Peninsula over time, in relation to socio-economic changes. Although similar studies have been carried out in other regions around the world, such as China [5,14,21], Australia [6], the South of Africa [11,14], America [14,15,20], the Mediterranean region [16], Eurasian steppes [17], and Tibet [19], this is novel, since it has not been carried out before in the drylands of the southeast Iberian Peninsula. In another vein, it is interesting to highlight that one of the primary features of the southeast Iberian Peninsula drylands is the extensive range of abiotic and biotic surroundings (this is the main difference from other studied areas).…”

“…The improvement or decline in each variable does not change significantly a few kilometers from the watering point. However, in some cases, such as inversed, composite, and complex gradients [17,21], different responses were observed. The composite gradient is associated with non-native species replacing desirable ones, while the inverse gradient is observed in areas with dams and mostly woody vegetation.…”