System and Method for Estrus Detection Using Real-Time Location

A system for estrus detection, comprising:

• one or more memory modules operable to store location information associated with a dairy livestock, the location information comprising a coordinate location of the dairy livestock within a free stall pen at each of a plurality of times during a time period;
• and
• one or more processing modules operable to:
• determine, based on at least a portion of the stored location information, one or more movement parameters associated with the dairy livestock;
• and
• determine, based on one or more movement parameters associated with the dairy livestock, whether the dairy livestock is likely to be in estrus.

A method for estrus detection, comprising:

• storing location information associated with a dairy livestock, the location information comprising a coordinate location of the dairy livestock within a free stall pen at each of a plurality of times during a time period, the location information having been generated by a real-time location system (RTLS) comprising a plurality of identification devices positioned throughout the free stall pen, the plurality of identification devices each operable to, at each of the plurality of times during the time period, generate a signal corresponding to a tag affixed to the dairy livestock;
• determining a stall standing parameter corresponding to the percentage of the time period that the dairy livestock was standing in a stall of the free stall pen;
• determining a stall lying parameter corresponding to the percentage of the time period that the dairy livestock was lying in a stall of the free stall pen;
• determining an alley walking parameter corresponding to the percentage of the time period that the dairy livestock was walking in a walking alley of the free stall pen;
• determining an alley lying parameter corresponding to the percentage of the time period that the dairy livestock was lying in a walking alley of the free stall pen;
• determining an alley standing parameter corresponding to the percentage of the time period that the dairy livestock was standing stationary in a walking alley of the free stall pen;
• determining a feeding parameter corresponding to the percentage of the time period that the dairy livestock was located within a predefined distance of a feed lane of the free stall pen;
• and
• determining a watering parameter corresponding to the percentage of the time period that the dairy livestock was located within a predefined distance of a water trough of the free stall pen;
• and
• determining whether a heat index for the dairy livestock is in excess of a baseline heat index by more than a predefined amount, the heat index for the dairy livestock corresponding to a function of the stall standing parameter, the stall lying parameter, the alley walking parameter, the alley lying parameter, the alley standing parameter, the feeding parameter, and the watering parameter.