Development of a Decision Support System for Animal Health Management Using Geo-Information Technology: A Novel Approach to Precision Livestock Management

Sudhanshu S. Panda, Thomas H. Terrill, Aftab Siddique (), Ajit K. Mahapatra, Eric R. Morgan, Andres A. Pech-Cervantes and Jan A. Van Wyk
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Sudhanshu S. Panda: Institute for Environmental Spatial Analysis, University of North Georgia, 3820 Mundy Mill Road, Oakwood, GA 30566, USA
Thomas H. Terrill: Department of Agricultural Sciences, Fort Valley State University, 1005 State University Drive, Fort Valley, GA 31030, USA
Aftab Siddique: Department of Agricultural Sciences, Fort Valley State University, 1005 State University Drive, Fort Valley, GA 31030, USA
Ajit K. Mahapatra: Department of Agricultural Sciences, Fort Valley State University, 1005 State University Drive, Fort Valley, GA 31030, USA
Eric R. Morgan: Institute for Global Food Security, Queen’s University, University Road, Belfast BT7 1NN, UK
Andres A. Pech-Cervantes: Department of Agricultural Sciences, Fort Valley State University, 1005 State University Drive, Fort Valley, GA 31030, USA
Jan A. Van Wyk: Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Private Bag x04, Onderstepoort 0110, South Africa

Agriculture, 2024, vol. 14, issue 5, 1-20

Abstract: Livestock management is challenging for resource-poor (R-P) farmers due to unavailability of quality feed, limited professional advice, and rumor-spreading about animal health condition in a herd. This research seeks to improve animal health in southern Africa by promoting sericea lespedeza ( Lespedeza cuneata ), a nutraceutical forage legume. An automated geospatial model for precision agriculture (PA) can identify suitable locations for its cultivation. Additionally, a novel approach of radio-frequency identifier (RFID) supported telemetry technology can track animal movement, and the analyses of data using artificial intelligence can determine sickness of small ruminants. This RFID-based system is being connected to a smartphone app (under construction) to alert farmers of potential livestock health issues in real time so they can take immediate corrective measures. An accompanying Decision Support System (DSS) site is being developed for R-P farmers to obtain all possible support on livestock production, including the designed PA and RFID-based DSS.

Keywords: geospatial technology; site-specific forage management (SSFM); decision support system (DSS); radio-frequency identification (RFID); animal health remote management (AHRM); smartphone app development (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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