novel approaches to expression and detection of oestrus in dairy cows

cows in oestrus (Kiddy, 1977). Hence it should be able to greatly improve
the accuracy of detection. This method of detection therefore improves
upon existing methods by monitoring 2 different behaviours (standing to
be mounted and mounting), with the potential to include activity
monitoring in future developments to UWB. This follows from research
suggesting that detection rates are improved when methods of detection
are combined (Peralta et al., 2005;Lovendahl et al., 2008) for use as one
complete method.
Another previously reported method of oestrous detection, which is similar
to UWB in the way it monitors the cows in all dimensions for both primary
and secondary oestrous behaviour is 4sight. 4sight monitors cows through
an image database containing images of 4 sides of the cow for
identification, and is an optical digital surveillance system identifying cows
in heat when they break a photosensitive beam. This method has reported
90% heat detection rate in a commercial situation, although conception
rate is reportedly poor (Esslemont, 2006). However this method has not
succeeded widely in the commercial sector compared to the various
methods of activity monitoring available. UWB has the potential to succeed
because of its ability to monitor individual cows in 3D with precision.
Detection rates are strongly linked to conception rate (Roelofs et al.,
2010), thereby improving detection rate enhances the potential to improve
conception rate, and provides an opportunity to adhere to strict calving
intervals. Furthermore, although the detection rate reported for UWB is
comparable with existing methods such as activity monitoring (At-Taras
and Spahr, 2001) and current commercial systems of automated online
progesterone monitoring (Friggens et al., 2008) it has the advantage of
reporting oestrus in real-time. Therefore unlike retrospective reports of 2
hourly activity units and weak correlations with time of ovulation, the onset
of oestrus is known and insemination can occur within 4 to 12 hours
(Dransfield et al., 1998). In addition UWB monitors mounting and standing
to be mounted which are both strongly linked to the timing of ovulation
(Roelofs et al., 2005) and the likelihood of UWB improving conception rates
via accurate detection is increased.
Further development to the UWB prototype is required and future work
would be to monitor oestrous detection in several larger herds. This would
determine the possible improvements to oestrous detection rate and by
using the real-time properties of UWB investigate the effect on conception
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