title: A decision-tree model to detect post-calving diseases based on rumination, activity, milk yield, BW and voluntary visits to the milking robot.
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.
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Biosystems,M3-BIORES: Measure, Model and Manage Bioresponses,KU Leuven,Kasteelpark Arenberg 30,Bus 2456,BE-3001 Heverlee,Belgium.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Steensels
authors.affiliation: 2Institute of Agricultural Engineering,Agricultural Research Organization (ARO),The Volcani Center,PO Box 6, IL-50250 Bet Dagan,Israel.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Antler
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Biosystems,M3-BIORES: Measure, Model and Manage Bioresponses,KU Leuven,Kasteelpark Arenberg 30,Bus 2456,BE-3001 Heverlee,Belgium.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bahr
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Biosystems,M3-BIORES: Measure, Model and Manage Bioresponses,KU Leuven,Kasteelpark Arenberg 30,Bus 2456,BE-3001 Heverlee,Belgium.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Berckmans
authors.affiliation: 2Institute of Agricultural Engineering,Agricultural Research Organization (ARO),The Volcani Center,PO Box 6, IL-50250 Bet Dagan,Israel.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Maltz
authors.affiliation: 2Institute of Agricultural Engineering,Agricultural Research Organization (ARO),The Volcani Center,PO Box 6, IL-50250 Bet Dagan,Israel.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Halachmi
mesh_terms: D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D002417:Cattle / Q000502:physiology*; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D003663:Decision Trees; D004063:Digestion; D007774:Lactation; D008892:Milk / Q000378:metabolism; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D036801:Parturition; D010805:Physical Conditioning, Animal; D012371:Robotics
keywords: automatic milking system; behaviour sensor; health; individual dairy cows; precision livestock farming