Automated Cattle Monitoring System for Calving Time Prediction Using Trajectory Data Embedded Time Series Analysis

This research introduces an automated system for cattle monitoring and calving time prediction, utilizing trajectory data embedded with time-series analysis. Designed for large-scale farms, our system offers continuous 12-h monitoring, ensuring precise capture of cattle movements. By utilizing time series analysis on the trajectory data, our system predicts calving events in advance, effectively distinguishing between abnormal (requiring human assistance) and normal (not requiring assistance) for each cow. We utilized 360° surveillance cameras to provide comprehensive coverage without disturbing the cattle's natural behavior. We employed tailored versions of the Detectron2 and YOLOv8 models to achieve efficient and precise cattle detection, comparing their performance in terms of missed detections and false detections. For tracking, we used our customized tracking algorithm, which minimizes ID switching and ensures continuous identification even in challenging conditions such as occlusions. While some ID switching errors still occur over extended tracking periods, we integrated tracking and identification to further optimize the handling of track IDs and global IDs. Our system incorporates a 4-h forecasting of cattle movement using Euclidean fluctuating summation (EFS) feature combined with our custom long short-term memory model. Experimental results demonstrate a detection accuracy of 98.70%, tracking and identification accuracy of 99.18%, and forecasting with an average error rate of 14.07%. Furthermore, the system accurately classifies cattle as either normal or abnormal and predicts calving events a 4-h in advance using the EFS feature, comparing its performance with various machine learning algorithms. The system's seamless integration significantly enhances farm management and animal welfare.