Joao Dorea, assistant professor in the Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences, received $1 million for his project “Development and implementation of an economically viable computer vision system to monitor and control metabolic disorders in dairy cows” through NIFA’s Inter-Disciplinary Engagement in Animal Systems (IDEAS) program area priority within the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative. It was among 12 projects sharing $9.6 million in funding.

Project summary (from CRIS website): One of the challenges facing dairy farmers is monitoring the health of their cows during the transition period before and after calving. One reason for this challenge is the lack of integrated cow-level information among the different technologies used to monitor the cows. While advanced technology such as artificial intelligence (AI) has been proposed to address this challenge, its cost-effectiveness and feasibility for early detection of peripartum diseases in dairy cows have not been evaluated. Additionally, the application of AI in the livestock sector has not been widely disseminated to potential users. In this project, we aim to develop a computer vision system that combines body shape and feeding behavior data to improve the health and welfare of cows on farms. We will evaluate the economic impact on farms and assess consumer willingness-to-pay for products with improved animal health and welfare. This project will also include outreach activities to educate students and stakeholders on the use of AI and technology in livestock. Our goal is to create a powerful predictive model that accurately detects peripartum diseases in dairy cows in real-time and to evaluate its economic and societal impact.