Weight Estimation Using Image Analysis and Statistical Modelling: A Preliminary Study

Abstract

The weighing of pigs on a farm is traditionally performed manually, making the process time-consuming and laborious. An automated weighing system could thus greatly improve the efficiency of the weighing process. Former studies have demonstrated that an animal's weight may be estimated via analysis of an image of that animal. A recent study conducted at the University of Adelaide aimed to implement an automatic weight estimation system for pigs, and use this system to confirm the results of previous studies while investigating new features, such as additional statistical modelling. A system was designed and implemented using off-the-shelf hardware. It was found that the system was able to estimate a pig's weight with an acceptable error.