Application of Machine Learning Algorithms for On-Farm Monitoring and Prediction of Broilers’ Live Weight: A Quantitative Study Based on Body Weight Data

Abstract

A non-invasive automatic broiler weight estimation and prediction method based on a machine learning algorithm was developed to address the issue of high labor costs and stress responses caused by the traditional broiler weighing method in large-scale broiler production. Machine learning algorithms are a data-driven strategy that enables computer systems to make predictions and judgments based on patterns and regularities that they have learned. To estimate the current weight of individual live broilers on farms, machine learning algorithms such as the Gaussian mixture model, Isolation Forest, and Ordering Points To Identify the Clustering Structure (OPTICS) are used to filter and extract data features using a two-stage clustering and noise reduction process. Real-time weight prediction was also achieved by combining polynomial fitting and the gray models and adjusting the model parameters based on prediction accuracy feedback. The symmetric mean absolute percentage error (SMAPE) value is a metric that is commonly used to evaluate the predictive performance of a model by comparing the degree of error between the model’s predicted value on the day of slaughter and the true value measured manually, and the results of the experiments on 111 datasets showed that 7.21% were less than or equal to 0.03, 28.83% were less than or equal to 0.1 and greater than 0.03, and 31.53% were less than or equal to 0.2 and greater than 0.1. This method can be used as a prediction scheme for broiler weight monitoring in a large-scale rearing environment, considering the cost of implementation and the accuracy of estimation.