Dr.

Patrick Jackman
patrick.jackman1@ucd.ie
 We are a research Prof. Shane Ward: Principal
group based in Investigator
University College Dublin Dr. Liam Brennan: Lecturer
Biosystems Engineering Dr. Gerard Corkery: Lecturer
We specialise in Big Dr. Ultan McCarthy: Technology
Gateway Manager: IMaR
Data solutions to real
Dr. Patrick Jackman: Research
world Agricultural and Scientist
Food Engineering Dr. Maeve Cushen: Research
problems Associate
www.ssu.ie Prof. Colm ODonnell: Senior
Lecturer
We currently work for
Dr. Kevin McDonnell: Senior
multiple SMEs, Industrial Lecturer
partners and Dr. Tom Curran: Senior Lecturer
Government Agencies
 Global broiler production market stands at approximately 100million tonnes of
meat
This is expected to grow significantly into the next decade
Market growth is expected to be particular strong in the emerging BRIC markets
 EBITDA MARGIN TREND 2002-2012
European market is massive
at over 10 million tonnes
per annum
While production is massive
profit margins are tiny
Thus a small gain in
productivity can lead to a
huge gain in profitability
Small gains could also turn
some failing businesses into
viable ones
Poultry share of the total
meat market has grown
from 22% to 28% and is
expected to grow to 31%
 Strategy for making marginal gains comes from the concept of
Precision Livestock Farming
This involves tight control of every variable in the production
and process chain
By eliminating the small losses a noticeable overall gain will be
achieved
Essential features of precision livestock farming are:
Automation of measurement
Automation of measurement interpretation
Diagnosis of control breaches
Local automatic control systems
Increasing network of regulatory requirements adds further
need for Precision Livestock Farming
 Precision Livestock Farming will create enormous
datasets that must be interpreted
Data interpretation leads to a diagnosis of any
problem that might exist
Predictive model decides the appropriate
remedial and mitigating action
Local automatic control implements the prediction
to quickly eliminate the problem
Thus production and process efficiency is
maximised leading to yield maximisation
 Big data also offers opportunity for forensic
analysis of production and process chain
Any interested party can probe the big data for
their information of interest
Wholesalers can use the big data to monitor
process production
Retailers can use the big data to monitor their
wholesale supply
Consumers can use the big data to satisfy
themselves of the traceability of the products they
buy off retailers
 The growing environment is essential for poultry yield as
comfortable chickens put on a lot of weight
High levels of gases such as CO2 and NH3 can lead to
poor quality yields e.g. disease and foot ailments

Impact: Early identification of loss of process control

 The Bosca project places wireless sensors in the chickens
living space to record temperature, humidity, air speed
and gas concentrations
Real time spatial and temporal data is reported to a
cloud repository via 3G technology

Impact: Real Time consolidation of observed data

 The Bosca data allows deviations
from acceptable environmental limits
to be quickly detected and quickly
mitigated by the producer
A spatial and temporal map of
poultry houses can be generated
from the Bosca data as each Bosca
has a GPS location and is aware of
Unix Time
The spatial and temporal map can
be compared to productivity data so
wholesalers can identify their best
and worst poultry producers
Impact: Forensic identification of chronic process problems
 The Chirpmetrics project will add
another independent source of
chicken contentment data
If chickens are content they will
coo in particular ways
If chickens are discontented they
will coo in other ways
Features extracted from acoustic
time series are added to the
data cloud
Impact: Additional supporting
Real Time data recorded
 The Talking Truck places a
network of environmental sensors
into a poultry delivery truck ENVIRONMENT
PRODUCT
Uploads data to cloud
repository in real time and DATA TRANSFER

produces a spatial and temporal TAG TYPE

map as sensors have GPS POWER

location and are aware of Unix

Time PALLET ORIENTATION

Ensures that poultry are correctly POWER SOURCE

handled during transit and that

yield and welfare are protected

Impact: Identification of potentially damaging product mishandling

 The CyberBar project
provides a tracking
mechanism from when the
chicken is slaughtered in
the processing hall to the
Supermarket shelf
The history of the chickens
that are loaded into the
slaughter house process
queue is known from
Bosca, Chirpmetrics and
Talking Truck
Immediately post slaughter
they are branded with a Impact: Instant recognition of product
unique Quick Read Code history providing full traceability
 The unique Quick Read code can be
read by any device with a camera
and a Quick Read app such as a
smart phone
The full history of chicken fillets can
then be immediately retrieved from
the cloud data repository
Thus the retailer can gain quality and
animal welfare assurances from their
wholesaler
Similarly a customer can hold their
Impact: Instant recognition
retailer to account as complete
of product history providing
information on chicken farming,
full traceability
handling, transport and slaughter is
associated with the Quick Read code
 The entire Big Data repository can be queried
graphically via a web portal or in tabular form by SQL
or SPARQL endpoints by any interested party
As all data entries have a GPS and Unix Time almost
every conceivable query is possible and visually
appealing Google Maps can be generated
Impact: Instant transmission of important traceability parameters
 There is no reason why the Big Data concept cannot
be re-applied to any production and processing cycle
Pig and Beef production are obvious next targets for
the Big Data solution
Data recording sensors would need some modifications
and improvements but nothing radical
Cloud repository would similarly need some tweaking
and refinement
As long as the data consumption requirements do not
greatly change the hardware and software can be
adapted to almost any challenge where GPS and
Unix Time are important
 The Smart Sensors Unit will be leading a Big Data in
Agriculture proposal for 2015 call of EU Horizon 2020
Proposal will design a Smart Crop system that will
provide comprehensive information on every aspect of
monitoring mycotoxins in crops pre and post harvest
By providing Real Time Big Data and a Cloud based
solution, efficient and effective infield management and
storage management of mycotoxins becomes a reality
The Smart Sensors Unit will be seeking partners and
collaborators for discussions on forming a consortium to
form the project bid
Contact: patrick.jackman1@ucd.ie
 Big Data from sensors aware of GPS and Unix Time
provides a comprehensive spatial and temporal map
Cloud computing offers the framework for housing the
enormous datasets
A well designed data cloud data can be easily
queried for the data of interest both graphically and
in tabular form
Solves key accountability and traceability questions
for wholesalers, retailers and consumers who wish to
keep control on their suppliers
Increased productivity, profitability and compliance
will result from the application of Big Data solutions