Evaluation of the tri-axial accelerometer to identify and predict parturition-related activities of Debouillet ewes in an intensive setting

Gurule, Sara C; Tobin, Colin; Bailey, Derek W.; Gifford, Jennifer A Hernandez

doi:10.1016/j.applanim.2021.105296

Cited by 14 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…In domestic sheep, accelerometer data has been used to develop classifier algorithms to identify different activities of several breeds of sheep on pasture, including Merino [6,9,[14][15][16][17], Sarda [18], Suffolk cross [19] and Debouillet [20]. The range of activity types include grazing, lying down, standing, walking, and ruminating.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The range of activity types include grazing, lying down, standing, walking, and ruminating. A few studies have endeavoured to use such activity classifiers to investigate behavioural patterns, usually associated with a particular context, e.g., to detect the effect of opioids on sheep behaviour [21], to monitor change in behaviour during parturition events [20,22], and detection of lameness [23,24]. In the field of parasitology, helminth worms have been associated with daily changes in sheep lying time [25] and increased irregularity in activity patterns [26], as measured by accelerometers.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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What Are Sheep Doing? Tri-Axial Accelerometer Sensor Data Identify the Diel Activity Pattern of Ewe Lambs on Pasture

Ikurior

Marquetoux

Leu

et al. 2021

Sensors

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Monitoring activity patterns of animals offers the opportunity to assess individual health and welfare in support of precision livestock farming. The purpose of this study was to use a triaxial accelerometer sensor to determine the diel activity of sheep on pasture. Six Perendale ewe lambs, each fitted with a neck collar mounting a triaxial accelerometer, were filmed during targeted periods of sheep activities: grazing, lying, walking, and standing. The corresponding acceleration data were fitted using a Random Forest algorithm to classify activity (=classifier). This classifier was then applied to accelerometer data from an additional 10 ewe lambs to determine their activity budgets. Each of these was fitted with a neck collar mounting an accelerometer as well as two additional accelerometers placed on a head halter and a body harness over the shoulders of the animal. These were monitored continuously for three days. A classification accuracy of 89.6% was achieved for the grazing, walking and resting activities (i.e., a new class combining lying and standing activity). Triaxial accelerometer data showed that sheep spent 64% (95% CI 55% to 74%) of daylight time grazing, with grazing at night reduced to 14% (95% CI 8% to 20%). Similar activity budgets were achieved from the halter mounted sensors, but not those on a body harness. These results are consistent with previous studies directly observing daily activity of pasture-based sheep and can be applied in a variety of contexts to investigate animal health and welfare metrics e.g., to better understand the impact that young sheep can suffer when carrying even modest burdens of parasitic nematodes.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

What Are Sheep Doing? Tri-Axial Accelerometer Sensor Data Identify the Diel Activity Pattern of Ewe Lambs on Pasture

Ikurior

Marquetoux

Leu

et al. 2021

Sensors

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…PLF advances have been made for identifying and monitoring parturition-related behaviors of sheep. For this, information on the location and movement obtained with GNSS tracking collars [ 65 , 151 ] or accelerometers for ewe changes of activity [ 66 , 152 ] were used. The promising results found in those works will help increase vigilance for parturition time and early detection of dystocia, improving animal welfare, and decreasing lamb mortality [ 153 ].…”

Section: Animal Welfare In Small Ruminant Under Extensive Production ...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Extensive Sheep and Goat Production: The Role of Novel Technologies towards Sustainability and Animal Welfare

Silva

Sacarrão-Birrento

Almeida

et al. 2022

Animals

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Sheep and goat extensive production systems are very important in the context of global food security and the use of rangelands that have no alternative agricultural use. In such systems, there are enormous challenges to address. These include, for instance, classical production issues, such as nutrition or reproduction, as well as carbon-efficient systems within the climate-change context. An adequate response to these issues is determinant to economic and environmental sustainability. The answers to such problems need to combine efficiently not only the classical production aspects, but also the increasingly important health, welfare, and environmental aspects in an integrated fashion. The purpose of the study was to review the application of technological developments, in addition to remote-sensing in tandem with other state-of-the-art techniques that could be used within the framework of extensive production systems of sheep and goats and their impact on nutrition, production, and ultimately, the welfare of these species. In addition to precision livestock farming (PLF), these include other relevant technologies, namely omics and other areas of relevance in small-ruminant extensive production: heat stress, colostrum intake, passive immunity, newborn survival, biomarkers of metabolic disease diagnosis, and parasite resistance breeding. This work shows the substantial, dynamic nature of the scientific community to contribute to solutions that make extensive production systems of sheep and goats more sustainable, efficient, and aligned with current concerns with the environment and welfare.

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“…All animals were observed daily and were healthy at the onset of this study. Ewes were housed in a single pen (18.3 m × 9.1 m) to evaluate the potential of accelerometers to detect parturition-related behavior events [11]. Each ewe was fed 1.8 kg of chopped alfalfa in the morning (0800 h) and supplemented with 0.22 kg of cracked corn both morning (0800 h) and afternoon (1600 h).…”

Section: Site and Animalsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The application of accelerometers has been utilized to across livestock systems to identify normal behavior and changes due to shifts in well-being and health status. Accelerometers have been used to detect parturition in sheep [11,12]. Accelerometers have also been used to monitor rumination [13], grazing activity [14], and drinking behavior [15] in cattle.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Case Study Using Accelerometers to Identify Illness in Ewes following Unintentional Exposure to Mold-Contaminated Feed

Gurule

Flores

Forrest

et al. 2022

Animals

Self Cite

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Sensor technologies can identify modified animal activity indicating changes in health status. This study investigated sheep behavior before and after illness caused by mold-contaminated feed using tri-axial accelerometers. Ten ewes were fitted with HerdDogg biometric accelerometers. Five ewes were concurrently fitted with Axivity AX3 accelerometers. The flock was exposed to mold-contaminated feed following an unexpected ration change, and observed symptomatic ewes were treated with a veterinarian-directed protocol. Accelerometer data were evaluated 4 days before exposure (d −4 to −1); the day of ration change (d 0); and 4 days post exposure (d 1 to 4). Herddogg activity index correlated to the variability of minimum and standard deviation of motion intensity monitored by the Axivity accelerometer. Herddogg activity index was lower (p < 0.05) during the mornings (0800 to 1100 h) of days 2 to 4 and the evening of day 1 than days −4 to 0. Symptomatic ewes had lower activity levels in the morning and higher levels at night. After accounting for symptoms, activity levels during days 1 to 4 were lower (p < 0.05) than days −4 to 0 the morning after exposure. Results suggest real-time or near-real time accelerometers have potential to detect illness in ewes.

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Evaluation of the tri-axial accelerometer to identify and predict parturition-related activities of Debouillet ewes in an intensive setting

Cited by 14 publications

References 27 publications

What Are Sheep Doing? Tri-Axial Accelerometer Sensor Data Identify the Diel Activity Pattern of Ewe Lambs on Pasture

What Are Sheep Doing? Tri-Axial Accelerometer Sensor Data Identify the Diel Activity Pattern of Ewe Lambs on Pasture

Extensive Sheep and Goat Production: The Role of Novel Technologies towards Sustainability and Animal Welfare

A Case Study Using Accelerometers to Identify Illness in Ewes following Unintentional Exposure to Mold-Contaminated Feed

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