Design of a Fuzzy System for Detecting Estrus from Intravaginal Temperature, pH and Resistance

Accurate estrus detection is important to maximize the profit of livestock farms, particularly those practicing artificial insemination. Behavioral changes are the easiest to monitor, but they are affected by several factors and have become less apparent over the years. An alternative would be to monitor changes in temperature, vaginal discharge pH or vaginal discharge resistance. The problem, still, is that each method has its own disadvantages. To alleviate these, a multi-parameter approach, coupled with a fuzzy-based decision support system is recommended. In this paper, a fuzzy system which takes the time since the animal was last in estrus (TIME), and measurements of intravaginal temperature (TEMP), pH (PH) and resistance (RES), then gives the probability (PROB) that the animal is in estrus, is presented. The system was developed by conducting a literature review, and later simulated using the fuzzy logic toolbox of MATLAB. An overview of the system was presented.