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A decision-tree model to detect post-calving diseases based on rumination, activity, milk yield, BW and voluntary visits to the milking robot

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 May 2016

M. Steensels ,
A. Antler ,
C. Bahr ,
D. Berckmans ,
E. Maltz  and
I. Halachmi
M. Steensels
Affiliation:
Department of Biosystems, M3-BIORES: Measure, Model and Manage Bioresponses, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 30, Bus 2456, BE-3001 Heverlee, Belgium Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Agricultural Research Organization (ARO), The Volcani Center, PO Box 6, IL-50250 Bet Dagan, Israel
A. Antler
Affiliation:
Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Agricultural Research Organization (ARO), The Volcani Center, PO Box 6, IL-50250 Bet Dagan, Israel
C. Bahr
Affiliation:
Department of Biosystems, M3-BIORES: Measure, Model and Manage Bioresponses, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 30, Bus 2456, BE-3001 Heverlee, Belgium
D. Berckmans
Affiliation:
Department of Biosystems, M3-BIORES: Measure, Model and Manage Bioresponses, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 30, Bus 2456, BE-3001 Heverlee, Belgium
E. Maltz
Affiliation:
Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Agricultural Research Organization (ARO), The Volcani Center, PO Box 6, IL-50250 Bet Dagan, Israel
I. Halachmi*
Affiliation:
Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Agricultural Research Organization (ARO), The Volcani Center, PO Box 6, IL-50250 Bet Dagan, Israel
*
† E-mail: Halachmi@volcani.agri.gov.il
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Abstract

Early detection of post-calving health problems is critical for dairy operations. Separating sick cows from the herd is important, especially in robotic-milking dairy farms, where searching for a sick cow can disturb the other cows’ routine. The objectives of this study were to develop and apply a behaviour- and performance-based health-detection model to post-calving cows in a robotic-milking dairy farm, with the aim of detecting sick cows based on available commercial sensors. The study was conducted in an Israeli robotic-milking dairy farm with 250 Israeli-Holstein cows. All cows were equipped with rumination- and neck-activity sensors. Milk yield, visits to the milking robot and BW were recorded in the milking robot. A decision-tree model was developed on a calibration data set (historical data of the 10 months before the study) and was validated on the new data set. The decision model generated a probability of being sick for each cow. The model was applied once a week just before the veterinarian performed the weekly routine post-calving health check. The veterinarian’s diagnosis served as a binary reference for the model (healthy–sick). The overall accuracy of the model was 78%, with a specificity of 87% and a sensitivity of 69%, suggesting its practical value.

Keywords

individual dairy cowshealthautomatic milking systembehaviour sensorprecision livestock farming
Type
Research Article
Information
animal , Volume 10 , Issue 9 , September 2016 , pp. 1493 - 1500
Copyright
© The Animal Consortium 2016 

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