2016 SOUNDHOOVES

Animal welfare is one oft he most important quality indicators in livestock production for many consumers and of rapidly growing social relevance. Still measuring animal welfare can be quite difficult. An important factor for animal welfare in cattle farming is the detection of lameness, which is caused by diseases of the claws and limbs. The aim of this project is therefore to develop a system which is capable of an automated early diagnosis of lameness in cattle. The modular design of the proposed system, which consists of a measuring platform and an data evaluation unit, allows the adaptation to all practically relevant forms of husbandry. Therefore it is planned to develop both mobile test stands with coupled hardware or smartphone apps for flexible measurements, as well as a fixed installation. The noise detected by the systems will be analysed directly within its own analysis software,so that the farmer can be given direct management options

responsible : Boris Kulig