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Spatial Livestock Research In Australia And New Zealand: Towards A Cooperative Research Model

I. J. Yule

Massey University

A number of researchers in Australia and New Zealand are working in the area of animal tracking as an important technological step to gaining a deeper understanding of animal behavior in various farmed and natural environments. The ultimate goals of the research vary from simply trying to understand how animals can be farmed more effectively to how animals could be controlled without fences. There are a number of parallels with the development of conventional precision agriculture in terms of the stages of development and the research processes involved. Researchers have recognized that there is considerable advantage in working together to share experiences and avoid repeating similar mistakes, thereby shortening the development time and attacking the real research questions posed.

GPS is a good example where the technology had to be proved and the use of expensive specialist GPS tracking devices has given way to lighter, cheaper units which can be easily constructed. The research questions are different from conventional precision agriculture and so the research approaches must be adapted. It may be more effective to have a greater number of animals recorded within a herd or flock than achieving sub-meter accuracy, however where animal locomotion is considered then higher levels of accuracy are required.

Consideration is being given to methods of statistical and geo-statistical analysis in order to develop robust methods and models to describe behavior and provide measurements of error of prediction around resource selection functions and distance travelled particularly when dealing with extended sampling intervals (>1 minute).

The research presently being undertaken in Australasia is reviewed, research goals and priorities are expressed.

Keyword: GPS, Animal Tracking, animal behaviour

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