Cattle weight prediction model using convolutional neural network and artificial neural network

Abstract

The weight of livestock is a crucial metric for evaluating management efficacy, informing policy decisions, and determining the market value of animals. In certain scenarios, conventional methods such as physical weighing and measurement calculations can prove challenging, including the absence of livestock health records or weighing equipment. This research aims to develop a predictive model for estimating the live weight of cattle through visual assessments and metadata, including age and pixel count, utilizing a combination of convolutional neural network (CNN) and artificial neural network (ANN) methodologies. A total of 223 data were obtained from a local farm before augmentation. The model's predictive capability was successfully demonstrated, with its performance quantified by an average mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) of 10% on test data. This study demonstrates that through the combination of CNN and ANN, as well as optimal parameter tuning, efficient prediction of cattle weight can be achieved.