Smart monitoring system aims to lower birth risks for cows

A team of undergraduate students at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University has developed an intelligent monitoring system for cowsheds that could help dairy farms reduce the frequency of difficult births in cattle, known as dystocia.

Calving problems threaten the survival of a cow and its ability to reproduce, causing economic losses and affecting the genetic diversity in cattle populations.

Moohoo, a student team from XJTLU’s School of Advanced Technology, has leveraged advanced sensors and the Internet of Things (IoT) to create a smart system that provides real-time monitoring of a cowshed environment and livestock conditions, offering a comprehensive health management solution for the farming industry.

Professor Jie Sun (centre) with the Moohoo team

The team comprises Zhenyu Lai and Jun Zhu from the BEng Electrical Engineering programme, Xiaojing Ma and Tong Wu from BEng Digital Media Technology, and Jialei Zhang from BEng Electronic Science and Technology.

Their system works by monitoring a cowshed’s temperature, humidity, air quality, and air pressure, factors that can impact the comfort and stress levels of pregnant cows and potentially contribute to dystocia. If an abnormality is detected, the system automatically alerts the farmer and activates equipment including sprays and fans to adjust the environmental conditions, protecting mothers and their calves.

A device installed on the cow’s tail also uses infrared sensors to capture vital signs including pulse, blood oxygen saturation, and body temperature, so that farms can gauge the animal’s health, oestrus cycle, and birthing time. This enables timely interventions and reduces the risk of obstructed labour.

Testing the monitoring device that attaches to a cow’s tail

The Moohoo team is now working to fine tune the system and reduce the size of the tail device. The research will also form the basis of an academic article.

This interdisciplinary project – combining IoT technology, animal husbandry management, and  optoelectronics, the study and application of devices that emit or detect light – received guidance and support from academics across the School of Advanced Technology, the Department of Mechatronics and Robotics, and the Department of Communications and Networking.

A Moohoo prototype and field experimental model

Professor Jie Sun, one of the team’s supervisors, says that participation in such collaborative projects deepens a student’s understanding of theoretical knowledge and cultivates essential qualities in engineers, such as innovative thinking, practical ability, and team spirit.

By Huatian Jin

Translated by Jiaming Ji

Edited by a staff editor and Catherine Diamond

Photos courtesy of the Moohoo team