Smart Networked Sensing Systems in Agriculture: A Poultry Industry Focus

Project information
Shane Ward at UCD will propose to integrate a smart suite of sensors for the poultry industry.  Sensors measure inter alia temperature, humidity, light etc, facilitate value adding via - real time processing data. This data enables informed management decisions leading to an overall improvement in the quality and integrity of the final product. Such systems are currently being explored across all industry sectors to achieve operational and supply chain efficiencies nationally and internationally The poultry industry is highly competitive, with cost margins per bird measured in cents not euros and is perceived by the consumer as high risk with regard to food safety, a view further reinforced by disease risks (e.g. Salmonella, Campylobcater and Avian Influenza). It is critical that sufficient procedures are in place to monitor and control the poultry meat chain, assuring consumer confidence in Irish poultry with regard to product quality, traceability and safety. Furthermore key competitive advantages can be achieved by optimising the supply of chickens to processing plants, and through “smart-screening” of product quality and safety during processing. This project will perform a comprehensive review of all non-invasive sensing technologies to measure and control critical performance related factors within broiler poultry production. Sensing systems including motion detection, video and thermal imaging will be researched to provide real-time data on critical performance indices, facilitating increased operational efficiency, performance and improved food quality and safety will be evaluated. A protocol and design of a performance sensing suite for an integrated sensing and data management system that will improve operational efficiency, competitiveness and consumer protection in the Irish Poultry industry will also be developed.
Project dates: 
January 2012 to December 2013
Contact
Contact person: 
Prof Shane Ward
Contact email: 
Contact organisation: 
University College Dublin
Funding
Funding agency: 
Science Foundation Ireland
Grant: 
k€99