Transformative Technology in Poultry Management: 3D CNNs for Broiler Chicken Weight Prediction

In global food production, broiler chickens hold significant importance, which are traditionally managed through manual labour for both meat and egg production. However, the poultry farming industry has increasingly turned to automation to address challenges associated with manual labour and enhance efficiency. This research introduces a novel methodology for estimating chicken weight utilizing top-view videos as input and leveraging 3D Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs). Accurate weight assessment is a critical aspect of poultry farming, influencing feeding strategies and resource allocation. Traditional manual weighing methods are laborious and time-intensive, necessitating the exploration of automated alternatives. The methodology involves dataset collection, preprocessing, and employing 3D CNNs for effective feature extraction. 3D CNN architecture, adept at capturing spatial and temporal features, consists of convolutional and pooling layers, followed by flatten and dense layers for weight prediction. The model achieves a remarkable accuracy of 95%, as evidenced in the experimental results. Experimental validation showcases the potential of this method as a non-invasive and efficient tool for estimating chicken weight. It contributes to the growing field of automated livestock management in agriculture.

I. Introduction

In the global landscape, the poultry industry accounts for a substantial share of the food production sector, contributing to over 30% of the world's meat production. With the global demand for poultry products projected to rise by 50% over the next decade, the industry faces the challenge of meeting this increase in demand, sustainably [1]. Traditional manual weighing processes, currently prevalent in many poultry farms, are characterized by labor-intensive practices, indicating that up to 40% of farm labor dedicated to weight monitoring and related tasks [2]. Poultry farming stands as a vital pillar within the global agriculture sector, meeting the escalating demand for poultry products, including meat and eggs. One of the critical factors influencing the success of poultry farming is the accurate estimation of broiler chicken weight [3]. This aspect plays a pivotal role in determining optimal feeding strategies, resource allocation, and overall farm management.