Footpad Monitoring: Reliability of an Automated System to Assess Footpad Dermatitis in Turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) During Slaughter
Footpad dermatitis (FPD) is an indicator of animal welfare in turkeys, giving evidence of the animals' physical integrity and providing information on husbandry management. Automated systems for assessing FPD at slaughter can present a useful tool for objective data collection. However, using a...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-05-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Veterinary Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2022.888503/full |
| _version_ | 1811235427333439488 |
|---|---|
| author | Jenny Stracke Jenny Stracke Robby Andersson Nina Volkmann Nina Volkmann Birgit Spindler Jan Schulte-Landwehr Ronald Günther Nicole Kemper |
| author_facet | Jenny Stracke Jenny Stracke Robby Andersson Nina Volkmann Nina Volkmann Birgit Spindler Jan Schulte-Landwehr Ronald Günther Nicole Kemper |
| author_sort | Jenny Stracke |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Footpad dermatitis (FPD) is an indicator of animal welfare in turkeys, giving evidence of the animals' physical integrity and providing information on husbandry management. Automated systems for assessing FPD at slaughter can present a useful tool for objective data collection. However, using automated systems requires that they reliably assess the incidence. In this study, the feet of turkeys were scored for FPD by both an automated camera system and a human observer, using a five-scale score. The observer reliability between both was calculated (Krippendorff's alpha). The results were not acceptable, with an agreement coefficient of 0.44 in the initial situation. Therefore, pictures of 3,000 feet scored by the automated system were evaluated systematically to detect deficiencies. The reference area (metatarsal footpad) was not detected correctly in 55.0% of the feet, and false detections of the alteration on the footpad (FPD) were found in 32.9% of the feet. In 41.3% of the feet, the foot was not presented straight to the camera. According to these results, the algorithm of the automated system was modified, aiming to improve color detection and the distinction of the metatarsal footpad from the background. Pictures of the feet, now scored by the modified algorithm, were evaluated again. Observer reliability could be improved (Krippendorff's alpha = 0.61). However, detection of the metatarsal footpad (50.9% incorrect detections) and alterations (27.0% incorrect detections) remained a problem. We found that the performance of the camera system was affected by the angle at which the foot was presented to the camera (skew/straight; p < 0.05). Furthermore, the laterality of the foot (left/right) was found to have a significant effect (p < 0.001). We propose that the latter depends on the slaughter process. This study also highlights a high variability in observer reliability of human observers. Depending on the respective target parameter, the reliability coefficient (Krippendorff's alpha) ranged from 0.21 to 0.82. This stresses the importance of finding an objective alternative. Therefore, it was concluded that the automated detection system could be appropriate to reliably assess FPD at the slaughterhouse. However, there is still room to improve the existing method, especially when using FPD as a welfare indicator. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T11:50:45Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b7756d3f899b4e19b28ab4a8296f058f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2297-1769 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T11:50:45Z |
| publishDate | 2022-05-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Veterinary Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-b7756d3f899b4e19b28ab4a8296f058f2022-12-22T03:34:11ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Veterinary Science2297-17692022-05-01910.3389/fvets.2022.888503888503Footpad Monitoring: Reliability of an Automated System to Assess Footpad Dermatitis in Turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) During SlaughterJenny Stracke0Jenny Stracke1Robby Andersson2Nina Volkmann3Nina Volkmann4Birgit Spindler5Jan Schulte-Landwehr6Ronald Günther7Nicole Kemper8Institute of Animal Science, Ethology, University of Bonn, Bonn, GermanyInstitute for Animal Hygiene, Animal Welfare and Farm Animal Behavior, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Hannover, GermanyFaculty of Agricultural Sciences and Landscape Architecture, University of Applied Sciences Osnabrück, Osnabrück, GermanyInstitute for Animal Hygiene, Animal Welfare and Farm Animal Behavior, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Hannover, GermanyScience and Innovation for Sustainable Poultry Production (WING), University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Vechta, GermanyInstitute for Animal Hygiene, Animal Welfare and Farm Animal Behavior, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Hannover, GermanyCLK GmbH, Bildverarbeitung and Robotik, Altenberge, GermanyHeidemark Mästerkreis GmbH u. Co. KG, Haldensleben, GermanyInstitute for Animal Hygiene, Animal Welfare and Farm Animal Behavior, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Hannover, GermanyFootpad dermatitis (FPD) is an indicator of animal welfare in turkeys, giving evidence of the animals' physical integrity and providing information on husbandry management. Automated systems for assessing FPD at slaughter can present a useful tool for objective data collection. However, using automated systems requires that they reliably assess the incidence. In this study, the feet of turkeys were scored for FPD by both an automated camera system and a human observer, using a five-scale score. The observer reliability between both was calculated (Krippendorff's alpha). The results were not acceptable, with an agreement coefficient of 0.44 in the initial situation. Therefore, pictures of 3,000 feet scored by the automated system were evaluated systematically to detect deficiencies. The reference area (metatarsal footpad) was not detected correctly in 55.0% of the feet, and false detections of the alteration on the footpad (FPD) were found in 32.9% of the feet. In 41.3% of the feet, the foot was not presented straight to the camera. According to these results, the algorithm of the automated system was modified, aiming to improve color detection and the distinction of the metatarsal footpad from the background. Pictures of the feet, now scored by the modified algorithm, were evaluated again. Observer reliability could be improved (Krippendorff's alpha = 0.61). However, detection of the metatarsal footpad (50.9% incorrect detections) and alterations (27.0% incorrect detections) remained a problem. We found that the performance of the camera system was affected by the angle at which the foot was presented to the camera (skew/straight; p < 0.05). Furthermore, the laterality of the foot (left/right) was found to have a significant effect (p < 0.001). We propose that the latter depends on the slaughter process. This study also highlights a high variability in observer reliability of human observers. Depending on the respective target parameter, the reliability coefficient (Krippendorff's alpha) ranged from 0.21 to 0.82. This stresses the importance of finding an objective alternative. Therefore, it was concluded that the automated detection system could be appropriate to reliably assess FPD at the slaughterhouse. However, there is still room to improve the existing method, especially when using FPD as a welfare indicator.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2022.888503/fullfootpad dermatitis (FPD)animal welfareautomatic assessmentwelfare indicatorturkeysabattoir |
| spellingShingle | Jenny Stracke Jenny Stracke Robby Andersson Nina Volkmann Nina Volkmann Birgit Spindler Jan Schulte-Landwehr Ronald Günther Nicole Kemper Footpad Monitoring: Reliability of an Automated System to Assess Footpad Dermatitis in Turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) During Slaughter Frontiers in Veterinary Science footpad dermatitis (FPD) animal welfare automatic assessment welfare indicator turkeys abattoir |
| title | Footpad Monitoring: Reliability of an Automated System to Assess Footpad Dermatitis in Turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) During Slaughter |
| title_full | Footpad Monitoring: Reliability of an Automated System to Assess Footpad Dermatitis in Turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) During Slaughter |
| title_fullStr | Footpad Monitoring: Reliability of an Automated System to Assess Footpad Dermatitis in Turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) During Slaughter |
| title_full_unstemmed | Footpad Monitoring: Reliability of an Automated System to Assess Footpad Dermatitis in Turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) During Slaughter |
| title_short | Footpad Monitoring: Reliability of an Automated System to Assess Footpad Dermatitis in Turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) During Slaughter |
| title_sort | footpad monitoring reliability of an automated system to assess footpad dermatitis in turkeys meleagris gallopavo during slaughter |
| topic | footpad dermatitis (FPD) animal welfare automatic assessment welfare indicator turkeys abattoir |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2022.888503/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jennystracke footpadmonitoringreliabilityofanautomatedsystemtoassessfootpaddermatitisinturkeysmeleagrisgallopavoduringslaughter AT jennystracke footpadmonitoringreliabilityofanautomatedsystemtoassessfootpaddermatitisinturkeysmeleagrisgallopavoduringslaughter AT robbyandersson footpadmonitoringreliabilityofanautomatedsystemtoassessfootpaddermatitisinturkeysmeleagrisgallopavoduringslaughter AT ninavolkmann footpadmonitoringreliabilityofanautomatedsystemtoassessfootpaddermatitisinturkeysmeleagrisgallopavoduringslaughter AT ninavolkmann footpadmonitoringreliabilityofanautomatedsystemtoassessfootpaddermatitisinturkeysmeleagrisgallopavoduringslaughter AT birgitspindler footpadmonitoringreliabilityofanautomatedsystemtoassessfootpaddermatitisinturkeysmeleagrisgallopavoduringslaughter AT janschultelandwehr footpadmonitoringreliabilityofanautomatedsystemtoassessfootpaddermatitisinturkeysmeleagrisgallopavoduringslaughter AT ronaldgunther footpadmonitoringreliabilityofanautomatedsystemtoassessfootpaddermatitisinturkeysmeleagrisgallopavoduringslaughter AT nicolekemper footpadmonitoringreliabilityofanautomatedsystemtoassessfootpaddermatitisinturkeysmeleagrisgallopavoduringslaughter |