Usability of measurement of animal surface temper

The aim of the dissertation was to present technical possibilities of scanning and measuring the body temperature and provide a method for a non-contact measurement of body surface temperatureof animals including data transfer to higher-level software. Partial results can be part of an automated herd management system to ensure better animal welfare monitoring. One method of contactless measuring the surface temperature was taking the surface temperature by using an infrared camera. This tool was used to scan surface temperatures in the area of the body core, the udder region and the eye area. Thermograms, sometimes referred to as thermal imaging, were obtained from the individual regions. In total, there were 34 measurements in 2013 and 17 measurements in 2014.Cows from Petrovice centre were included in the experiment. Three different groups of dairy cows were evaluated in two different stables. In the first group there were cows which gave birth 2 days to 2 months before. The second group consisted of dairy cows which calved 4 to 5 months before. The third group included dairy cows which gave birth 7 to 8 months before. Based on the results of measurements of selected surface temperatures, it was found that the surface core temperature and the udder surface temperature correlated most. However, when measuring surface temperatures, the degree of pollution, coating, and oscillation of the animal play an important role. Moreover, technological parameters of the device are also important, specially its setting and the emissivity of the surface. This experiment ran from August to September 2016 in a purpose-built schoolhouse facility in an experimental stable accredited for experimental purposes. The experiment included two clinically healthy cows of the Holstein breed, which had been implanted with the identification chip and tested for its functionality. This chip was implanted to both animals in the tail root region and was fitted with a biological function sensor that followed the body temperature of the animal. The device was adapted to send animal identification information and animal body temperature information by means of a wireless connection to the chip reader. Based on the findings, one or more systems, preferably non-contact body temperature scanning, could be designed and tested. Regarding the use of other surface temperature scanning possibilities, this is still in the process of development and implementation. The disadvantage of the above described device is that it fails to recognize the cause of the elevated temperature and requires intervention by the attendant without the intervention being necessary. The attending keeper may not recognize acute cases and may cause permanent damage to the health or even death of the animal. The task of the device is to find a method of unattended animal temperature measurement connected with its electronic identification that would recognize sick or infected animals from overheated ones. This device would categorize the animals and take precautions to preserve their health. The invention should be applicable to a wide variety of animals