ABSTRACT
Automatic milking systems (AMS) have played a pioneering role in the advancement of Precision Livestock Farming, revolutionizing the dairy farming industry on a global scale. This review specifically targets papers that focus on the use of modeling approaches within the context of AMS. We conducted a thorough review of 60 articles that specifically address the topics of cows' health, production, and behavior/management Machine Learning (ML) emerged as the most widely used method, being present in 63% of the studies, followed by statistical analysis (14%), fuzzy algorithms (9%), deterministic models (7%), and detection algorithms (7%). A significant majority of the reviewed studies (82%) primarily focused on the detection of cows' health, with a specific emphasis on mastitis, while only 11% evaluated milk production. Accurate forecasting of dairy cow milk yield and understanding the deviation between expected and observed milk yields of individual cows can offer significant benefits in dairy cow management. Likewise, the study of cows' behavior and herd management in AMSs is under-explored (7%). Despite the growing utilization of machine learning (ML) techniques in the field of dairy cow management, there remains a lack of a robust methodology for their application. Specifically, we found a substantial disparity in adequately balancing the positive and negative classes within health prediction models.
ABSTRACT
Mathematical modelling is used in disease studies to assess the economical impacts of diseases, as well as to better understand the epidemiological dynamics of the biological and environmental factors that are associated with disease spreading. For an incurable disease such as Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis (CAE), this knowledge is extremely valuable. However, the application of modelling techniques to CAE disease studies has not been significantly explored in the literature. The purpose of the present work was to review the published studies, highlighting their scope, strengths and limitations, as well to provide ideas for future modelling approaches for studying CAE disease. The reviewed studies were divided into the following two major themes: Mathematical epidemiological modelling and statistical modelling. Regarding the epidemiological modelling studies, two groups of models have been addressed in the literature: With and without the sexual transmission component. Regarding the statistical modelling studies, the reviewed articles varied on modelling assumptions and goals. These studies modelled the dairy production, the CAE risk factors and the hypothesis of CAE being a risk factor for other diseases. Finally, the present work concludes with further suggestions for modelling studies on CAE.
