Body condition score (BCS) is a proxy for evaluating body fat reserves. However, monitoring BCS is a time-consuming and subjective task. Thus, we aimed to develop a method for estimating the BCS of ...beef cows using three-dimensional (3D) body features of cows’ rump area derived from 3D camera data. Three-dimensional surface data of the rump area from 39 multiparous cows were obtained using a 3D camera, and four 3D body features were extracted. The BCSs of the cows were scored by experts, and models for predicting BCS by 3D features were developed using machine learning algorithms. The derived model yielded an overall accuracy, precision, sensitivity, and F-measure of 90%, 88%, 90%, and 88%, respectively. Additionally, we evaluated a simple practical method to estimate BCS using the difference between heart girth (HG) and tightened heart girth (THG) for 118 multiparous cows. A cumulative logistic regression model for estimating BCS by the difference was developed, and the derived generalized coefficient of determination was 0.81. These results suggest that 3D images are useful for estimating the BCS of beef cows and that the difference between HG and THG can be used to estimate BCS as a simple practical method.
Fluorolabeled antibody-binding proteins were constructed based on
Staphylococcus
protein A and
Streptococcus
protein G domains, and used as an adaptor to convert the Fab fragment of interest to a ...Q-body, a fluorescent biosensor that exhibits antigen-dependent fluorescence enhancement. Without having to perform the tedious procedure of genetically introducing a fluorescent dye molecule into a cloned Fab fragment, we successfully converted both a cloned anti-osteocalcin Fab fragment and a commercially available anti-vimentin (Fab)
2
fragment to a Q-body using this method. This method is not only a simpler way for constructing Q-bodies but also a convenient alternative to finding a suitable antibody that has a greater potential to become an excellent biosensor.
A novel method to construct a fluorescent biosensor Quenchbody in one pot is devised using an optimized fluorescence-labeled antibody binding protein and human/mouse antibody Fab fragment.
To investigate the availability of behavioral evaluation by dynamic body acceleration (DBA), we examined the effect of floor cleaning, commonly practiced in stalls, on the changes in behavioral ...condition of beef cattle using DBA measurement. Two experiments were conducted; one with Japanese Black breeding cows and another with Japanese Black fattening steers. In the experiments, data from tri-axial accelerometer on back of the animals and timelapse images were collected for 12 hours per day for three consecutive days: the day before cleaning, the day of cleaning and the day after cleaning. The activity measurements (DBA values) were calculated from the tri-axial acceleration datasets and the behavioral types (lying or non-lying) were classified from the timelapse image datasets. Changes in the DBA values and behavioral types among the observation days were analyzed. The result showed that, compared with “before cleaning”, lying time increased and non-lying time decreased significantly in “day of cleaning” and “one day after cleaning” (P<0.05). Also, DBA values decreased significantly in “day of cleaning” and “one day after cleaning” (P<0.05). Furthermore, the DBA values during non-lying time significantly increased in “day of cleaning” and “one day after cleaning” (P<0.05), which indicated that the energy consumption of the beef cattle increased after floor cleaning because the floor became softer to walk on. Hence, the use of DBA could identify subtle different responses of beef cattle to floor cleaning conditions in non-lying behavior. It was concluded that DBA is a useful indicator to evaluate the behavioral changes of beef cattle in detail.
Dynamic body acceleration (DBA) derived from the data obtained by tri-axial accelerometer has been widely used in various animal species as a proxy for estimating energy expenditure (EE) under ...free-moving conditions. More recently, the use of 9-axis sensor equipped with tri-axial accelerometer, tri-axial gyroscope and tri-axial magnetometer is examined to estimate EE as well as tri-axial accelerometer. In order to estimate EE correctly from DBA, sensors should be placed near the center of mass of animals. However, in practice, livestock farmers attach sensors usually on collar because the place is easier to be attached. Therefore, the aims of this study were to examine the relationship between the sensors attached on back and collar of animals and to develop EE estimation models from the sensor data attached on collar in cattle and sheep. Four pregnant Japanese Black cows and four castrated Corriedale sheep were used in this study. Twenty-four hours of sensor data in grazing conditions were collected. First, the correlations of the sensors data attached on back and collar were analyzed by each behavioral classification. Then, the models to estimate the calculated EE derived from DBA gained from the sensor placed on back were developed by regression analyses by cows and sheep. The independent variables in the models were behavioral indicators calculated from 9-axis sensors attached on collar and the dependent variables in the models were calculated EE from the sensor data on back. As a result, the distinctive relationship of behavioral indicators between collar and back in each livestock species were found. As for the development of EE estimation models, although the effect of animals in the model was significant in each species, it was found that the models without the effect of animals could also estimate EE with some degree of accuracy; there is a possibility to estimate EE with the indicators derived from the sensor attached on collar. Also, the coefficients of determination (R2) of the models using 9-axis sensor data from collar were similar with those of the model using only tri-axial accelerometer data from collar, indicating that the use of tri-axial accelerometer data is enough for EE estimation of grazing livestock animals.
Since 2006, we have made a progress on ‘driving-space improvement project for safety and comfor’ at Metropolitan Expressways. The road marking 'Optical Dots' were installed on a two-lane highway in ...downstream at Bijogi Junction zone of Saitama Omiya line in Feb. and Sep.'08. As we reported at ITS-Sympo'08, the result of reduction in speed was observed soon after then. We report the experiment about the influence to drivers’ visual perception and action by using Driving Simulator generating Virtual Reality of highway.
Cattle grazing in abandoned fields has recently been of great importance in promoting effective utilization of local resources in Japan. The objectives of this study were to investigate spatial ...distributions of grazing cattle in abandoned fields and to analyze relationships between the patterns of spatial distribution and energy expenditure (EE) of the grazing cattle using global positioning system (GPS) and geographic information system (GIS). GPS collars were attached to 2 Japanese Black cows and their positional records with an interval of 5 minutes were collected during 3 seasons throughout 2008; June, September, and October. Using GIS, a 3D map of the study area was derived from a digitized contour map and the slope gradient of each pixel was calculated. Utilization distributions of grazing cattle were estimated by fixed kernel method using GPS records. Three levels of intensity utilization areas (high, middle and low) were estimated from the utilization distributions and thereby their sizes and average slope gradients (ASG) were calculated. EEs of grazing cattle were estimated from walking speeds and walking slope gradients calculated from GPS records. Results showed that ASGs of high and middle intensity utilization areas in October were significantly steeper (P<0.05) than those in June. Sizes of all the intensity utilization areas in daytime (from sunrise to sunset) were significantly larger (P<0.01) than those in nighttime (from sunset to sunrise following morning). ASGs of all the intensity utilization areas in daytime were significantly gentler (P<0.01) than those in nighttime. ASGs of all the intensity utilization areas in both daytime and nighttime were positively correlated with EEs in June. Although sizes of high and middle intensity utilization areas exhibited negative correlations with EE in September, they were positively correlated with EE in October.
