Automatische Gesundheitsüberwachung bei Milchkühen mittels Infrarot-Thermographie

Infrared thermography for automatic health monitoring was investigated at two farms using a total of 576 dairy cows. Therefore an infrared camera was installed at the milking parlour and infrared images were taken at every milking. Investigations showed that surface temperatures measured by infrared thermography are mainly influenced by ambient temperature and daytime. There was no relation for infrared temperature at lower leg area and rectal temperature as well as for infrared temperature of udder quarters and quarter individual electrical conductivity. But diseased quarters show significantly different infrared temperatures than healthy quarters. Diseased quarters and new incidences of claws can be detected by routinely infrared images with sensitivities of around 30% and specificities of around 70%