Development of fundamental technologies to improve the productivity of beef cattle by individual precision management

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26252044
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Agricultural environmental engineering/Agricultural information engineering
• Research Institution: Kyoto University
• Principal Investigator: Kondo Naoshi 京都大学, 農学研究科, 教授 (20183353)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 北川 政幸 京都大学, 農学研究科, 准教授 (00144923) ; 福島 護之 兵庫県立農林水産技術総合センター, その他部局等, その他 (60463395)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 牛肉 / マシンビジョン / 畜産

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Controlling serum Vitamin A level (VA) is an important practice in Japanese Black Cattle livestock farmers to increase BMS (Beef Marbling Standard). To estimate VA from pupil images, pupil image capturing devices were made by trial. These devices were set at the drinking places and pupil images were captured when cattle were drinking. The image of embroidered pattern on the collar of the cattle was also captured by a camera to identify each cattle. The pupil images were processed and extracted the pupil color, the light reflex at the eyeball surface and the constriction amplitude of pupil shape in response to the lighting of LED. These extracted parameters correlated with VA. After shipping of 40 cattle which were produced by five bulls, the yield and the quality of the meat were investigated. Comparing among the cattle produced by the same bull, the meat of the cattle whose VA were controlled in low level had a tendency of high BMS values.

Free Research Field

生物センシング工学