Kinetic energy harvesting potential of grazing livestock

Abstract

In the past two decades, wearable precision livestock farming (PLF) technologies for animal welfare and precision pasture management have been researched. Numerous solutions are being designed and marketed for monitoring animal health, shelter and location while improving production output and food security. Most of these devices are battery powered. A species-specific kinetic energy harvesting (KEH) device would enable autonomous PLF applications without the use of disposable batteries or the need for recharging. In this paper we present a novel research methodology for measuring and analyzing livestock locomotion potential for KEH applications by employing 3-D accelerometers. The data is collected from leg, collar, ear, and pendant positions during continuous free grazing experiments conducted on Eastern and Western Finncattle. The accelerometers are placed in specially designed 3-D printed cases and secured to livestock with a collar and a pedometer strap. The ear sensors are attached on the existing ear tags by using 3M™ Dual Lock™ straps which allow for secure and painless mounting. The instruments are collected after each 6 hour long experiments and analysis reveals aperiodic locomotion characteristics with specific motions displaying promise for employment of electromagnetic KEH. Specific locomotion frequencies have been extracted and analyzed from time series acceleration data.