METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MONITORING EGG-LAYING PERFORMANCE OF CAGED LAYING HENS AT LAYING-HEN POSITIONS

摘要

A method and a system for monitoring the egg laying performance of caged laying hens at laying-hen positions. A plurality of coops (1) are arranged side by side, a conveyor belt (2) is arranged below the coops, and a machine-vision detection device (3) having a CCD camera (7) and a lighting device (8) is arranged at the output end of the conveyor belt (2). Eggs laid by hens drop out of the bottom of each coop (1) and fall onto the conveyor belt (2). Once all eggs are laid, the conveyor belt (2) is started, and the conveyor belt (2) conveys the eggs through the machine-vision detection device (3). The CCD camera (7) is triggered to capture images of the surface of the conveyor belt (2) carrying the eggs. The contours of the eggs in the images are obtained by means of image processing, and counting is performed to determine the number of eggs present. Processing is performed to obtain the original coop position, the color, the size, and the weight of each egg, thereby achieving real-time monitoring. In the invention, changes in the number, the weight, and the color of eggs laid every day at each egg-laying position can be monitored so as to monitor the egg-laying performance and the health of hens at said positions. The system is simple and reduces breeding equipment costs.