Recognition of Individual Holstein Cattle by Imaging Body Patterns

A computer vision system was designed and validated to recognize an individual Holstein cattle by processing images of their body patterns. This system involves image capture, image pre-processing, algorithm processing, and an artificial neural network recognition algorithm. Optimum management of individuals is one of the most important factors in keeping cattle healthy and productive. In this study, an image-processing system was used to recognize individual Holstein cattle by identifying the body-pattern images captured by a charge-coupled device (CCD). A recognition system was developed and applied to acquire images of 49 cattles. The pixel values of the body images were transformed into input data comprising binary signals for the neural network. Images of the 49 cattle were analyzed to learn input layer elements, and ten cattles were used to verify the output layer elements in the neural network by using an individual recognition program. The system proved to be reliable for the individual recognition of cattles in natural light. (Asian-Aust. J. Anim. Sci. 2005. Vol 18, No. 8: 1194-1198)