Free usable space estimation in broiler farms using an image segmentation algorithm

Abstract

Free usable space in broiler farms has a substantial impact on the welfare and health of the chickens. In this paper we use a computer vision algorithm to estimate free usable space in this kind of farms. This method uses a real-time camera that collects images from the farms and an image processing algorithm based on a U-Net architecture, which estimates the free usable space available. The results of the method are compared with manual labels, and it is shown that the method is accurate and efficient in estimating the free usable space.