DOI: 10.3390/s26134015 ISSN: 1424-8220

Precision Livestock Farming and Biomedical Engineering: pAssessing Feed Quality, Animal Health, and Behavior Using Machine Learning for Sensor Data

Nikolay Kiktev, Danylo Hradoboiev, Mykola Pravilov, Ievgen Antypov, Yuliia Meish, Liliia Stroianovska, Pawel Kielbasa, Taras Hutsol

This review analyses and logically structures modern intelligent sensor technologies in the context of animal husbandry, feed production, and veterinary medicine. The main research discussed in the article focuses on machine learning based on modern neural network models, computer vision, and sensor systems that are transforming the methods for assessing the health, behavior, and nutrition of farm animals. The first part examines modern approaches to quality control and optimization of mineral and vitamin premixes, including visual inspection using visual sensors and neural networks. Key roles are played by precise dosing, component stability (minerals, vitamins), and the transition to more bioefficient organic forms of micronutrients to reduce environmental impact. Improvements in feed and premix production are analyzed, including automation, energy management, and the use of machine learning for non-destructive quality control, defect detection, mixing homogeneity assessment, and vitamin stability prediction. The second part analyzes methods for animal location and behavior detection. This article presents computer vision-based systems, including modifications of YOLO, for automatically tracking and classifying key behavioral patterns (lying down, standing, feeding, and aggression) in cattle and pigs, even in crowded conditions. It also discusses the use of ultra-wideband (UWB) systems and accelerometers combined with machine learning for high-precision positioning and detection of specific behavioral anomalies, such as lameness and playfulness. The third section focuses on the application of machine learning in veterinary diagnostics, including the automated interpretation of medical images (X-ray, ultrasound, and MRI) as sensor data streams for the diagnosis of cardiovascular, oncological, and orthopedic diseases in farm and small animals. Furthermore, the article examines the use of machine learning models for proactive disease diagnosis in farm animals and poultry based on multimodal data and image analysis. Considerable attention is given to methods and tools for radiometric diagnosis of animal diseases at an early stage using microwave sensors, as well as laser therapy and surgery in veterinary medicine. The review concludes that the integration of intelligent systems enables a transition to data-driven livestock management, significantly improving animal welfare and, consequently, the efficiency and sustainability of agricultural production.

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