Optimizing black cattle tracking in complex open ranch environments using YOLOv8 embedded multi-camera system

Monitoring the daily activity levels of black cattle is a crucial aspect of their well-being. The rapid advancements in artificial intelligence have transformed computer vision applications, including object detection, segmentation, and tracking. This has led to more effective and precise monitoring techniques for livestock. In modern cattle farms, video monitoring is essential for analyzing behavior, evaluating health, and predicting estrus events in precision farming. This paper introduces the novel Customized Multi-Camera Multi-Cattle Tracking (MCMCT) system. This unique approach uses four cameras to overcome the challenges of detecting and tracking black cattle in complex open ranch environments. The MCMCT system enhances a tracking-by-detection model with the YOLO v8 segmentation model as the detection backbone network to develop a precision black cattle monitoring system. Single-camera setups in real-world datasets of our open ranches, covering 23.3 m x 20 m with 55 cattle, have limitations in capturing all necessary details. Therefore, a multi-camera solution provides better coverage and more accurate behavior detection of cattle. The effectiveness of the MCMCT system is demonstrated through experimental results, with the YOLOv8-MCMCT system achieving an average Multi-Object Tracking Accuracy (MOTA) of 95.61% across 10 cases of 4 cameras at a processing speed of 30 frames per second. This high accuracy is a testament to the performance of the proposed MCMCT system. Additionally, integrating the Segment Anything Model (SAM) with YOLOv8 enhances the system's capability by automating cattle mask region extraction, reducing the need for manual labeling. Comparative analysis with state-of-the-art deep learning-based tracking methods, including Bot-sort, Byte-track, and OC-sort, further highlights the MCMCT's performance in multi-cattle tracking within complex natural scenes. The advanced algorithms and capabilities of the MCMCT system make it a valuable tool for non-contact automatic livestock monitoring in precision cattle farming. Its adaptability ensures effective performance across varied ranch environments without extensive retraining. This research significantly contributes to livestock monitoring, offering a robust solution for tracking black cattle and enhancing overall agricultural efficiency and management.