ROBOTICS APPLICATION IN POULTRY FARMING: PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS

Аннотация

INTRODUCTION In the modern era of Information and Technology, management, production, and human-induced gadgets and electronic devices are now inevitable issues, which are critical for sustainability in in our day-to-day life. Technology helps in routine poultry farming (Gunnarsson et al., 2020; Hafez activities in a well-organized manner and move and Attia, 2020). Poultry farming management is forward at ease. Activities such as poultry farming transitioning from human labour to smart systems is not left out. Poultry farming plays a crucial role facilitated by machines (Ren et al., 2020). The in meeting the growing demand for affordable and application of smart technologies in poultry safe food products (Sarıca et al., 2018). Poultry farming is expected to enable faster and more production is cost-effective (Ahmad et al., 2022; de effective farm and animal monitoring, leading to Mesquita Souza Saraiva et al., 2022) and offers better-informed decision-making through the high-quality proteins (Attia et al., 2022; de evaluation of extensive data (Sharma and Patil, Mesquita Souza Saraiva et al., 2022). Furthermore, 2018). it contributes to economic and social sustainability Among the various technological tools, robots are by creating favourable investment opportunities emerging as a prominent solution in poultry for producers (Rodić et al., 2011). Nevertheless, farming, serving diverse functions such as modern poultry farming faces challenges, including phenotyping, monitoring, management, and animal health and welfare, poultry house environmental control (Sahoo et al., 2022). https://www.theamericanjournals.com/index.php/tajabe 15 THE USA JOURNALS THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURE AND BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING (ISSN – 2689-1018) VOLUME 06 ISSUE09 Recently, functional robots have been developed in ensuring sustainable production practices (Yang et poultry farming that can perform specific tasks – al., 2020) is another challenge. To achieve a such as collecting floor eggs and dead birds, thus comprehensive assessment of animal welfare, saving labour and facilitating the production (Astill standardized parameters must be established and et al., 2020; Wu et al., 2022; Zhao, 2021). However, accurately monitored (Wemelsfelder and Mullan, research on the impact of robots designed for 2014). The evaluation of animal welfare revolves direct contact with animals on animal health and around indicators such as proper nutrition, good welfare is limited (Dennis et al., 2020; Parajuli et al., health, suitable housing, and appropriate 2020). Additionally, robots have shown potential in behaviour (Paul et al., 2022). To evaluate animal studying collective and social behaviour through welfare, it is fundamental to understand the interaction with animals, with robot-animal natural behaviour of a poultry species (Putyora et interaction presenting a promising research area al., 2023), including social behaviour. (Gribovskiy et al., 2018). Such studies are inspired Poultry house management: Among livestock by the rapid social attachment mechanism known systems, poultry systems are considered as filial imprinting observed in young animals environmentally friendly, because produce low (Vallortigara and Versace, 2022). Robots greenhouse gas emissions (Leinonen and interacting with animals hold a huge potential in Kyriazakis, 2016; Vries and Boer, 2010) and lower the investigation of social behaviour and water usage (Gerber et al., 2015; Vaarst et al., ethological research because they enable highly 2015). However, they still require special attention standardized, controlled, replicable and to their environmental impact, particularly reproducible experimental designs. This concerning issues such as ammonia release and innovative approach allows to explore complex nitrate leaching. Environmental impacts on poultry social dynamics in various species (Romano et al., farms arise directly from energy use, housing, and 2019). manure management. To enhance environmental There is growing interest in robotics for poultry sustainability, it is crucial to measure and monitor farming. Previous work has explored the potential the level of environmental impacts overall. impact of smart technology in the poultry industry, Improving poultry housing and developing new focusing on robotics, advanced sensors, strategies for manure management have the automation technology, AI (Artificial Intelligence), potential to further improve the environmental big data analysis, internet of things, and sustainability of the poultry industry (Costantini et transportation (Abbas, 2022; Park et al., 2022; Ren al., 2021). et al., 2020; Wu et al., 2022). Robot-animal social Maintaining optimum environmental conditions interactions and the impact of robots on animal needs proficient and stable poultry house welfare and animal behaviour in poultry had management at every stage of production (Flora et limited coverage. al., 2022). Environmental factors, including Challeng