Non-contact assessment system of dairy cow exterior

A system for non-contact assessment of animals using three-dimensional cameras will facilitate the grading process. To develop a system for non-contact exterior assessment of animals using automatic video cameras, it is necessary to justify the rational design and operating conditions of the system. Based on digital vision, the authors determined the necessary parameters of the system using three measurements of the head: head length, forehead length and maximum forehead width. 15 adult animals of the zebu-type black-motley breed with a height of 1300 to 1500 mm were studied. To ensure coverage of the cow’s head in any position, three cameras were used: two located above the animal at a height of 2 m from the floor (the minimum distance from the camera to the head was 500 to 800 mm) and one in front of the animal at a distance of at least 2 m from the head and at a height 1.3 to 1.5 m from the floor. The signal from the identification antenna of the signal from the RFID tag of the animal initiated the acquisition of a three-dimensional image at a speed of 5 to 10 frames/s. Based on the measurements, the system automatically determines the broad-headed and big-headed indices. As a result of the study, the authors determined rational parameters for the location of cameras. The efficiency of shooting and accurate measurement of head measurements is ensured when the cow’s head is tilted relative to the camera at an angle of 45° and when the upper camera is located at a level of 2 m from the floor. When the head is tilted 65° and above, shooting is provided with the front camera located at a distance of at least 2 m from the head and at a height of 1.3 to 1.5 m from the floor. In their subsequent research, the authors plan to justify the rational design and operational-technological parameters of the model.

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