From pasture to performance: Tracking animal movement for better welfare

– We want to create the best conditions for the animals to perform while also ensuring good health, says Rebeka Zsoldos.

She was recently appointed Docent in Biology at SLU in Alnarp. At the university, she leads the Animal-Centered Environments research group in the Department of Biosystems and Technology.

The group combines research on animal welfare, digital technologies and environmental design to develop sustainable and ethically grounded approaches to animal management and housing systems. They work within an exciting and growing field, says Rebeka Zsoldos.

– Within the field, we are investigating which indicators are useful for measuring positive animal welfare. Animal welfare extends beyond the absence of disease. The research explores how behavioral, physiological, and movement-based indicators can help researchers assess how animals feel and cope in their environments.

Motion sensors in the pasture provide health information

In her research, Rebeka Zsoldos has focused on measuring animal movement as an indicator of health, productivity and performance.

In the SLU project Mini-Moo, led by her colleague Oleksiy Guzhva, she investigates how motion-monitoring systems using sensor technology can be adapted to different animal species and purposes – also known as precision livestock farming. In the project, the technology is being tested on cows.

– We are researching a system for monitoring the well-being of cattle out at pasture and how they make use of the grazing land.

Sensors are attached to the cows and connected to satellites. In this way, the movements of many individuals can be monitored simultaneously. The aim is to gain continuous, objective insights into the animals' well-being, including changes that are difficult to detect and easily missed by the human eye.

– We are also investigating how the data should be interpreted and how the farmer can make use of it, says Rebeka Zsoldos.

Muscle activity is the foundation of movement

In her Docent lecture, Rebeka Zsoldos spoke about her own, parallel work measuring muscle activity in animals. She studies muscle activity as a fundamental component of movement, coordination and physical adaptation.

The measurements are made using a technique called surface electromyography. The technique has long been used for humans, but Rebeka Zsoldos believes it is also useful to understand the muscles of animals.

– It can be important, for example, to know how a sport horse uses its muscles. Small changes in muscle activity and movement patterns may provide early indicators of functional changes, discomfort, or injury risk, she says.

Easier to make well-informed decisions

Motion sensors for monitoring cattle and horses are already in practical use, while the technology for measuring muscle activity has so far only been used within research.

In the long term, Rebeka Zsoldos hopes that surface electromyography will gain ground in animal science and reach farmers.

– Having better information about the animals’ condition can help farmers and veterinarians make more informed decisions about health, welfare and management.