Opportunity for

• Software companies interested in commercialising products and services for animal production systems

• Companies interested in commercialising sensor / vision based products and services

Opportunity description

Industry challenge: Tracking flock growth, behaviours and welfare in a commercial shed environment is a manual process for meat chickens. Meat chickens may be susceptible to sores on their feet, due to wet litter, and to heat stress which affect flock welfare and production. Producers generally catch and weigh birds to monitor growth and visual inspection is the norm for behavioural and welfare checks. This current approach places stress on the birds and is a subjective process based on the experience of the personnel involved. As a manual process, data recording is rarely collated or analysed over time to improve shed and flock management. This challenge is worldwide in intensive and semi-intensive animal production systems.

Current opportunity: AgriFutures Australia and the University of Southern Queensland (USQ) have developed a novel video analysis software and hardware prototype with associated reporting. The technology uses artificial intelligence and enables indicators of flock welfare to be compared objectively between flocks and farms, providing opportunities for enhanced management decisions. Opportunity exists for software and hardware based firms interested in developing products and services that enhance animal production systems.

Other opportunities: Opportunity exists to expand the technology into other intensive and semi-intensive animal production systems and into international markets.

Read our related story - 'Camera technology offers new vision for chicken welfare'here.