The aim of this study was to explore the possibility of assessing the health status of a cow’s udder using infrared thermography. We studied the effect of mastitis on cow milk yield, the effect of mastitis on udder surface skin temperature, and the dependence between severity of mastitis and udder temperature. We determined the presence of a significant relationship between the udder surface skin temperature and the milk yield of mastitis cows (Coefficient of determination = 0.886, linear Pearson correlation coefficient = −0.96), as well as the absence of a significant relationship between the udder surface skin temperature and the milk yield of healthy cows (Coefficient of determination = 0.029, linear Pearson correlation coefficient = 0.16). We substantiated the temperature ranges of the udder surface of healthy cows [32–35.9 °C] and mastitis [36.1–39 °C]. The obtained data made it possible to form an algorithm that allows a quick assessment of the herd for the presence of udder disease, using infrared images of the udder surface skin temperature.

The global recent development trend in dairy farming emphasizes the automation and robotization of milk production. The rapid development rate of dairy farming requires new technologies to increase the economic efficiency and improve production. The research goal was to increase the milk production efficiency by introducing the technology to automatically assess the fatness of a dairy herd in 0.25-point step on a 5-point scale. Experimental data were collected on the 3D ToF camera O3D 303 installed in a walk-through machine on robotic free-stall farms in the period from August 2020 to November 2022. The authors collected data on 182 animals and processed 546 images. All animals were between 450 and 700 kg in weight. Based on the regression analysis, they developed software to find and identify the main five regions of interest: the spinous processes of the lumbar spine and back; the transverse processes of the lumbar spine and the gluteal fossa area; the malar and sciatic tuberosities; the tail base; and the vulva and anus region. The adequacy of the proposed technology was verified by means of a parallel expert survey. The developed technology was tested on 3 farms with a total of 1810 cows and is helpful for the non-contact evaluation of the fatness of a dairy herd within the herd’s life cycle. The developed method can be used to evaluate the tail base area with 100% accuracy. The hungry hole can be determined with a 98.9% probability; the vulva and anus area—with a 95.10% probability. Protruding vertebrae—namely, spinous processes and transverse processes—were evaluated with a 52.20% and 51.10% probability. The system’s overall accuracy was assessed as 93.4%, which was a positive result. Animals in the condition of 2.5 to 3.5 at 5–6 months were considered healthy. The developed system makes it possible to divide the animals into three groups, confirming their physiological status: normal range body condition, exhaustion, and obesity. By means of a correlation dependence equal to R = 0.849 (Pearson method), the authors revealed that animals of the same breed and in the same lactation range have a linear dependence of weight-to-fatness score. They have developed an algorithm for automated assessment of the fatness of animals with further staging of their physiological state. The economic effect of implementing the proposed system has been demonstrated. The effect of increasing the production efficiency of a dairy farm by introducing the technology of automatic evaluation of the fatness of a dairy herd with a 0.25-point step on a 5-point scale had been achieved. The overall accuracy of the system was estimated at 93.4%.

Показали, что для развития молочных ферм необходимы технологии быстрого и неразрушающего анализа качества молока. Отметили, что оптические методы не влияют на молочную продукцию. Подчеркнули, что модернизация доильных установок проточным устройством экспресс-анализа качества молока позволит обеспечить ферму необходимой технологией. (Цель исследования) Изучить влияние проточного устройства экспресс-анализа качества молока на поток молоковоздушной смеси, протекающей в молочном шланге. (Материалы и методы) Использовали имитационное моделирование в программе SolidWorks. Разработанное устройство, как и имитационную модель, выполнили в цилиндрической геометрии для совместимости с молочными шлангами диаметром 14 миллиметров. При измерении учитывали угловое распределение света, рассеянного молоком, которое протекает внутри оптически прозрачной цилиндрической стеклянной трубки. На протекание потока молоковоздушной смеси влияло только изменение внутреннего диаметра молочных трубок. (Результаты и обсуждение) Отметили, что имитационная модель продемонстрировала увеличение скорости потока молоковоздушной смеси в областях перехода потока между молочным шлангом и штуцером (на меньший внутренний диаметр), а также между штуцером и измерительной камерой устройства (на больший внутренний диаметр). Зеркальный результат зафиксировали при выходе потока из измерительной камеры в штуцер и переходе из штуцера в молочный шланг. (Выводы) Выявили, что наличие устройства повышает среднюю скорость потока, равную 0,3-0,7 метра в секунду, на 14 процентов. Определили, что из-за неполного заполнения молочного шланга при доении разница скоростей потока молоковоздушной смеси до и после устройства не оказывает негативного влияния на работу доильной установки. Доказали, что возможна модернизация доильной установки проточным устройством экспресс анализа качества молока.

Contamination of the inner surface of milk hoses of milking systems with milk residues, water residues and pathogenic microflora has a negative impact on milk quality and can affect the accuracy of light-scattering sensors measuring milk quality parameters. A three-stage study of the influence of milking system operating conditions on the accuracy of a light-scattering sensor is presented. The growth of pathogenic microflora on the inner surface of milk hoses was studied, the flow of milk and milk hoses rinsing was simulated and the accuracy of the light-scattering sensor was tested under conditions of low-quality rinsing of the milking system. A significant difference in the total microbial count was detected between the milk residues of healthy animals and the milk residues of animals with subclinical mastitis (1.2 × 10⁴ CFU/mL and 9.2 × 10⁴ CFU/mL). The presence of Staphylococcus (aureus and epidermidis) was detected in quantities much lower than those that could interfere with the analysis of milk quality parameters. Simulation modeling allowed us to prove that even when rinsing with hot water (80 °C) without chemical solutions, pathogenic microflora in milk hoses of the milking system will be suppressed. Modeling of the milk flow in the measuring chamber of the device showed the stable replacement of milk in the measuring chamber and provided actual measurements of milk quality parameters. It has been determined that low-quality rinsing and water residues in milk hoses lead to a significant increase in measurement error up to 15–20% during the first 30–40 s after the milking system starts operating. The study results confirm that the light-scattering sensors are resistant to such factors of the milking system operation as contamination by pathogenic microflora (S. aureus and S. epidermidis) and low-quality rinsing of milk hoses.

Изучено влияние времени суток на двигательную активность (ДА), pH и температуру содержимого рубца (РpH и РТ) у дойных коров. Исследование проведено на 13 клинически здоровых первотелках голштинской породы при беспривязном их содержании и 3-кратном доении. Кормовой рацион, сбалансированный в соответствии с физиологическими потребностями животных, был одинаковым в течение года. Среднее значение РpH за 3 исследуемых дня у коров составило 6,39, РТ — 39,41°C и ДА — 10,05. Средний показатель РpH находился в диапазоне 5,97—6,77, РТ — 38,85—40,23°C, ДА — 3,73—15,35. Показатели стандартного отклонения для РpH были стабильны и равнялись 0,13—0,24, что составляет всего 2,03—3,76% от среднего. Стандартное отклонение РТ составляло 0,48—1,34 (1,22—3,44% от среднего). Параметры стандартного отклонения ДА были равны 1,18—7,91, или 11,74—78,71% от среднего показателя двигательной активности. Наблюдалась суточная цикличность pH рубца с максимальными значениями с 1:00 до 5:00 и минимальными — в вечерние часы. Потребление воды вызывало кратковременное (около 30 мин) снижение РТ. Двигательная активность коров характеризовалась волнообразными колебаниями без резких изменений. Дальнейшие исследования необходимо проводить для оценки влияния времени года на эти параметры. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of time of day on the pH of the rumen contents (RpH), temperature (RT) and motor activity (MA) of dairy cows. The study was conducted on 13 clinically healthy Holstein heifer cows. The cows were milked 3 times a day at 06:00, 15:00 and 22:00. The cows were kept in a barn with a loose housing system and received a feed ration throughout the year at the same time, balanced in accordance with their physiological needs. The average value of RpH for all 3 days in animals was 6.39, RT —39.41°C and MA — 10.05. The average RpH was in the range from 5.97 to 6.77, RT from 38.85°C to 40.23°C, MA from 3.73 to 15.35. The standard deviation values for acidity were very stable and ranged from 0.13 to 0.24, which is only 2.03—3.76% of the average. It can be concluded that the daily stability of acidity in animals is high. The standard deviation values for RT ranged from 0.48 to 1.34, which is only 1.22—3.44% of the average. The standard deviation values for MA ranged from 1.18 to 7.91, which is 11.74—78.71% of the average MA, from which it can be concluded that animal activity indicators are extremely unstable.