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Audio-Based Monitoring Technology Advances Broiler Chicken Welfare 

Generating Advanced Animal Systems Solutions

Program Contact

Nikki Dutta
ndutta@foundationfar.org

Year Awarded   2022

Total award amount   $300,000

Location   Atlanta, GA

Program   SMART Broiler

Matching Funders   McDonald’s Corporation

  • Advanced Animal Systems

Why this research is important

By identifying automated Sensors, Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Technologies (SMART) solutions that can replace human observation and subjective scoring, the SMART Broiler initiative can enhance the welfare for 9 billion birds annually in the US and improve producer profitability.

This project is one of three selected from the six research projects funded in Phase I to receive a total of $1.625 million in Phase II of the SMART Broiler program. In this phase, researchers will optimize hardware and software configurations, advance data management and processing tools for measuring key welfare indicators and justify commercial investment in these new welfare monitoring tools. The technologies will be tested at two broiler producing barns, Tyson Foods Broiler Research Barn in Arkansas and Master Good in Kisvárda, Hungary.

FFAR is pleased to provide further support in Phase II of the SMART Broiler program to these bold projects that are developing technologies to meet consumer and producer demand for increased animal welfare, while helping farmers more efficiently produce one of the world’s most consumed meats. Saharah Moon Chapotin, Ph.D.
Executive Director

Details About this Research

Brandon Carroll and Tom Darbonne with AudioT, a new venture established at Georgia Tech University, is receiving $300,000, with additional in-kind support provided by Tyson Foods, to develop a scalable, low-cost audio-monitoring tool that tracks bird vocalizations to alert farmers to broiler welfare and behavior. Bird vocalizations can provide insight into flock status and can be a complementary tool to video-based systems.

More About AudioT

AudioT is a new venture established out of Georgia Tech University to commercialize growout house acoustics monitoring and applied machine learning. The company is based on ten years of research undertaken by the Georgia Tech Research Institute’s Agricultural Technology Research Program (GTRI ATRP). The team has substantial expertise and the most advanced audio-based monitoring technology for use in poultry.

How This Research Contributes to Our Mission

This SMART Broiler Phase II research project supports FFAR’s Advanced Animal Systems Challenge Area by improving animal health and welfare and pioneering practices that sustain our food system.

Matching Funders: Additional SMART Broiler Phase II Support

To further support SMART Broiler, Accenture is providing program management, cloud services and technical consulting support to the Phase II awardees. USPOULTRY has also awarded $100,000 in sponsorship to SMART Broiler, demonstrating the strong support from the US broiler industry for this initiative. In kind support, in terms of access to broiler facilities, is being provided by processors.

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