Animal Beacon RSSI Proximity Detection for Morbid Cattle Identification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Detecting morbid animals in commercial feedyards is challenging due to the difficulty in visually identifying sick animals among large groups, leading to delayed treatment and increased morbidity and mortality, which affects the financial success of feedyards.
Innovation Solution
A method using low-power Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) animal beacons that transmit unique identifiers and signal strength data to beacon readers, allowing for the tracking of animal proximity to feeding and watering areas, enabling early identification of morbid animals through their altered behavior patterns.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If visual evaluation by pen riders is used to detect morbid animals, then treatment can be provided to sick animals, but the detection accuracy is low and treatment is delayed due to the difficulty of identifying sick animals among large groups
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical visual evaluation system with an electronic monitoring system using RFID tags and readers. The system automatically tracks animal movement, feeding behavior, and water consumption, providing objective data about animal health status without requiring manual visual inspection, thereby improving detection accuracy and reducing treatment delays
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces RFID tags as intermediaries attached to animals and readers positioned at feed bunks and water tanks. These intermediaries automatically capture and transmit data about animal interactions with feeding and watering areas, serving as a mediator between the animals and the monitoring system, enabling continuous health assessment without direct human observation
2Reliability
If manual visual inspection by pen riders is used, then sick animals can be identified, but the operational complexity and labor requirements are high
Solution Approach 1:
The monitoring system operates autonomously without requiring manual intervention. RFID tags automatically transmit their identifiers when animals approach feed bunks or water tanks, and the central processing system automatically analyzes the data to identify sick animals, eliminating the need for continuous manual inspection while maintaining reliable detection
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses multi-functional RFID infrastructure that simultaneously performs identification, location tracking, and behavior monitoring. The same readers positioned at feed bunks and water tanks serve multiple purposes: identifying animals, recording feeding behavior, and detecting health anomalies, thereby reducing overall system complexity while improving detection reliability
3Loss of time
If continuous monitoring of all animals is implemented, then early detection of morbid animals is achieved, but the cost and infrastructure requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements partial monitoring by placing readers only at critical locations such as feed bunks and water tanks rather than continuously monitoring all animals throughout the facility. This selective approach captures sufficient behavioral data to detect health anomalies while significantly reducing infrastructure costs and complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The system establishes baseline behavioral patterns for each animal during normal health conditions. By having this preliminary data available, the system can quickly compare current behavior against the baseline to detect deviations indicating sickness, enabling rapid detection without requiring continuous intensive monitoring of all animals
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively differentiates between healthy and morbid cattle by analyzing RSSI signal strength, providing accurate location tracking and timely alerts, reducing morbidity and mortality, and minimizing the need for costly infrastructure.
Implementation Method 1
transmitting by a first animal beacon a first signal comprising a first unique identifier
Implementation Method 2
based upon the first signal, determining a proximity of the first animal to the feed bunk
Data Source
AI summary
A method to identify morbid animals housed in a feedyard having a feed bunk, where the method includes providing a plurality of animal beacons and at least one beacon reader, placing the beacon reader adjacent the feed bunk, transmitting by a first animal beacon a first signal comprising a first unique identifier for a first animal wearing the first animal beacon, wherein the first animal is housed in the feedyard, receiving by the beacon reader the first signal, and based upon the first signal, determining a proximity of the first animal to the feed bunk.