Algorithm for Measurement of the Dairy Cow’s Body Parameters by Using Image Processing

Abstract

Purpose: Recent mechatronics technology is the most appropriate high technology in agricultural applications to save repetitious labor. Method: Cow’s body parameters were measured by several traditional measurers. Image processing technology was used to measure automatically their parameters to reduce labor and time. The parameters were measured form a small model cow which is easily measured, instead to a real cow. The image processing system designed and built for this project was composed of a PC, grabber card, and two cameras, which are located on the side and the top of the model cow. Tests of verification had measured 10 dairy cows. Result: Nine parameters of the model cow’s body were measured,and the difference between the real data and the data by image processing was less than 16.7%. Based on the results of the research, the parameters of a real cow had measured of chest depth, withers height, Pelvic arch height, body length, slope body length, chest width, hip width, thurl width, and pin bone width were compared with image processing data. Conclusions: In the Demonstration test, Result had obtained similar data of cow model experiments, and the most of errors were shown less than 5% relatively good result.