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Development of a Decision Support System for Animal Health Management Using Geo-Information Technology: A Novel Approach to Precision Livestock Management
Panda, S.S.; Terrill, T.H.; Siddique, A.; Mahapatra, A.K.; Morgan, E.R.; Pech-Cervantes, A.A.; van Wyk, J.A. Development of a Decision Support System for Animal Health Management Using Geo-Information Technology: A Novel Approach to Precision Livestock Management. Agriculture2024, 14, 696.
Panda, S.S.; Terrill, T.H.; Siddique, A.; Mahapatra, A.K.; Morgan, E.R.; Pech-Cervantes, A.A.; van Wyk, J.A. Development of a Decision Support System for Animal Health Management Using Geo-Information Technology: A Novel Approach to Precision Livestock Management. Agriculture 2024, 14, 696.
Panda, S.S.; Terrill, T.H.; Siddique, A.; Mahapatra, A.K.; Morgan, E.R.; Pech-Cervantes, A.A.; van Wyk, J.A. Development of a Decision Support System for Animal Health Management Using Geo-Information Technology: A Novel Approach to Precision Livestock Management. Agriculture2024, 14, 696.
Panda, S.S.; Terrill, T.H.; Siddique, A.; Mahapatra, A.K.; Morgan, E.R.; Pech-Cervantes, A.A.; van Wyk, J.A. Development of a Decision Support System for Animal Health Management Using Geo-Information Technology: A Novel Approach to Precision Livestock Management. Agriculture 2024, 14, 696.
Abstract
Livestock management is challenging for resource-poor (R-P) farmers due to unavailability of quality feed, limited professional advice and rumor-spreading about animal health condition in a herd. This research seeks to improve animal health in southern Africa by promoting sericea lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata), a nutraceutical fodder legume. An automated geospatial model for precision agriculture (PA) can identify suitable locations for its cultivation. Additionally, a novel approach of radio frequency identifier (RFID) supported telemetry technology can track animal movement, and the analyses of data using artificial intelligence can determine sickness of small ruminants. This RFID-based system is being connected to a smartphone app (under construction) to alert farmers of potential livestock health issues in real-time so they can take immediate corrective measures. An accompanying Decision Support System (DSS) site is being developed for R-P farmers to obtain all possible support on livestock production, including the designed PA and RFID-based DSS.
Keywords
Geospatial Technology; Site Specific Forage Management (SSFM); Decision Support System (DSS); Radio Frequency Identification (RFID); Animal Health Remote Management (AHRM); Smartphone App Development
Subject
Biology and Life Sciences, Agricultural Science and Agronomy
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.