In 2018, the Michigan-based international food safety company Neogen released the results of a study on the American cattle industry. According to the data collected, there were more than 700,000 cattle farms covering 614 million acres, accounting for 27% of the nation’s land mass. Approximately 93 million head of cattle were spread across these farms. Out of the 700 cattle ranchers interviewed for the research commissioned by The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, the report states that they all had similar priorities. “Cattle health was rated top concern of 95% of interviewees,” Neogen reported. “To 90%, low-stress animal handling practices are part of their management practices.”

As of 2023, the U.S. beef industry was valued at $102 billion and is expected to grow at a 4.8% CAGR, reaching $157.36 billion by 2032. With such numbers, it comes as no surprise that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is looking for ways to ensure the health of the cattle industry. In 2020, the USDA awarded a team of researchers from the University of Kentucky $900,000 to study the effects of drones in the cattle industry. The lead researcher on the project, Joshua Jackson, an assistant professor and cattle producer, said he was inspired to introduce drone technology to his cattle practice after struggling to locate his herd during the fall and winter.

“Many Kentucky cattle producers have jobs off the farm, and it gets tricky to locate cows this time of year, when the sun sets so early,” he explained. “We want to lessen producers’ stress by helping them locate their animals quicker and help sick animals faster.” So he partnered with Jesse Hoagg, UK’s Donald and Gertrude Lester Professor of Mechanical Engineering, to develop a cattle-friendly drone program. The goal of the project was to see how drones could safely monitor the health and well-being of a herd of cattle without stressing the animals. To do this, the team first set up shop in the basement of one of the engineering buildings with a model calf named “Chuck.”

Professor Hoagg explained that by testing the drones indoors with Chuck, he and his students can create detailed flight formation practices. The last thing they want is to risk spooking any cattle with the multiple drones they hope to use in this new management practice. “Here’s how the system works,” a press release from UK announced on January 27, 2020. “An observer drone hovers 50 to 100 feet above the herd. Using stereo cameras, this drone tracks motion to determine the location of the cattle. Meanwhile, three worker drones use that location information to track a specific cow. The worker drones then perform health the monitoring tasks.”

After two years of running drone trials with Chuck, the team is now ready to move outdoors. They have perfected flight algorithms that allow multiple drones to work in tandem without causing stress to the animals. The system is completely autonomous; however, a flight commander can take over at any time if the need arises. After all, no matter how many trials you run, an animal can always have an unexpected reaction. The USDA was so impressed with the results of the first half of the program that they awarded the university another grant to continue the research.

This second round of funding amounts to $910,000 to be used toward a five-year program to perfect the use of drones in live model herding practices. The project has been titled “Precision Livestock Management: Cattle Monitoring and Herding Using Cooperative Drones.” “The idea is to see if we can move cattle with drones in an effective and safe way for the animals,” Joshua said. Professor Hoagg, Joshua, and the team will use multiple drones at different distances from the animals to herd them while still monitoring health markers.

Ultimately, the goal is to ensure that cattle are kept safe and that farmers have the tools to make their jobs efficient. According to statistics gathered by UK, nearly 3 million head of cattle are lost annually in the U.S. because of health issues. This costs the cattle industry more than $1 billion on average each year. “This project tackles an important problem: reducing cattle loss,” Professor Hoagg said. “And the approach that we are developing is highly interdisciplinary, drawing on expertise in robotics, computer science, control systems, agricultural engineering, and livestock systems.” By integrating innovative drone technology with traditional practices, this research promises to enhance cattle welfare and boost the efficiency of the beef industry for years to come.

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