Project No: 14305

Project dates:
1 Jun 2013 - 30 Jun 2017

Coordinator:
Zoltan Gobor, Bayerische Landesanstalt für Landwirtschaft (Germany)

Collaborating Institutions:

Christophe Cariou, IRSTEA (France)

Werner Feucker, dsp-Agrosoft GmbH (Germany)

Cedric TESSIER, Effidence (France)

Arif Behiç Tekin, Ege University (Turkey)

Links:
Official website of the...
Day of research in the...
Topagrar: Roboter "i-Leed"...
Field Robot Event 2016
Full report

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The main goal is to optimise the feeding strategy for grazing cattle and to improve the methods of pasture management. The pasture robot control will be integrated into existing herd management software (HMS), providing an optimal feeding strategy as well as pasture maintenance. The robot will be redesigned by implementing sensors for detection of biomass, cowpats etc. and actuators (mulcher and seeder). The robot will collect data about the fresh biomass and carry out selective pasture care affecting the improvement of the biomass quality after grazing, autonomously. Based on the collected data an optimal feeding strategy through allocation of the herd to another part of the pasture (paddock), or by moving of the fences within one paddock can be secured.

Results in fields of agronomy, technology, methodology and social cognitions were achieved. Methods for canopy measurement, as well as detection of e.g. weeds, cowpats, using 2D laser scanner and NIR spectroscopy were developed and tested. Prototype consisting of a modified flail mulcher and a seeder was redesigned to an autonomous mobile platform including optimal trajectory planning.
Improvements in project management based on Share Point were realized and tested. The interdisciplinary, international and intercultural cooperation gain good results, although the workability, effectiveness, sustainability, completion criteria and availability of sophisticated tools affect the final results. Farmers’ feedback was positive about the project findings and supportive to become early adopters.

Developed models and methods can be implemented into suitable interfaces. Further development, optimization and implementation can be carried out by e.g. SMEs. Based on the development stage achieved in the project further adaptions and testing will be pursued in the following activities.
Milk and meat production entails conflicts of interest between ecology, economy and society. A robot with appropriate sensor technology and software was developed to optimize the pasture management, consequently encouraging the acceptance of grazing as an economically effective alternative. This has demonstrated how modern technologies can help to balance all of the above-mentioned issues, providing benefits for all without having to make any compromise.