IoT-based Smart Poultry Farm Management

 The objective is to establish 100 startups based on IoT technology by the year 2025 in order to provide solutions to local issues using IoT solutions.

In IoT devices, sensors play a critical role. Sensors are responsible for detecting physical parameters, such as temperature or light, and converting them into signals that can be processed. An IoT platform, on the other hand, is software that supports the entire IoT system. It enables communication, manages data flow, and ensures the functionality of applications.

Introduction:

The Internet of Things (IoT) has the potential to revolutionize the way we farm and raise livestock. One application of IoT in agriculture is the smart poultry farm. A smart poultry farm uses various IoT technologies such as sensors, automation, and data analytics to optimize poultry farming practices and improve productivity. This blog will discuss the benefits, implementation challenges, and future scope of IoT-based smart poultry farming.

                                    

FIG: IoT-based Smart Poultry Farm

In recent years, the Internet of Things (IoT) has emerged as a highly sought-after technology. It is a pervasive technology that enables networked items to adapt, operate, and communicate with each other and the environment, driving the development of smart homes, smart cars, and smart agriculture. However, gathering data from farms in a defined and organized manner has been a challenge, leaving farmers to rely solely on human abilities and experience when raising chickens in the traditional manner. To address this, an IoT-based smart poultry farming system has been proposed to improve productivity and efficiency. This paper examines the management of IoT-based contemporary poultry farms, including farm weather and the physical state of poultry, to assist farmers in decision-making. While the use of IoT-based poultry farming is still in its infancy, the world is moving quickly towards its optimal implementation. This study reviews 20 articles from 2013 to 2022 and focuses on the administration of IoT-based contemporary poultry farms. The goal is to collect and summarize publications that address the management of IoT-based contemporary poultry farms, examining issues such as sensors, related technologies, wireless communication protocols, IoT platforms, and cloud computing to gain a better understanding of the field's potential in the future.

The greatest challenge facing the world today is meeting the human body's protein needs. To address this issue, poultry meat and eggs are the most cost-effective and in-demand solutions. The pressure of the population, climate change, and the growing demand for meat and eggs are raising food security vulnerabilities to new heights. Although the population is growing and so is poultry production, it can be increased more efficiently. Worldometers.info estimates the current world population to be 7.95 billion as of July 2022 and projected to reach 10 billion in 2057. The demand for poultry meat will double what it was in 2005 by 2050, and the demand for chicken eggs will be almost 40% greater. Therefore, the idea of precision livestock farming has become a reality, and the IoT-based smart poultry farm plays a critical role in making the poultry industry more efficient and sustainable. Poultry is a sector that contributes to Bangladesh's GDP, with approximately 1.6% of the country's GDP coming from the poultry sector, according to the Bangladesh Poultry Industry Central Council (BPICC). Additionally, approximately six million people in the country are employed directly and indirectly in the sector.

Typical poultry farms lack efficient management, leading to potential health and growth issues for the chickens. All tasks related to poultry farming, such as feeding, watering, and cleaning, are done manually, and traditional construction techniques are used for housing. This labor-intensive process is not sufficient to guarantee increased productivity. However, integrating IoT and other smart technologies with conventional poultry farming has allowed for the development of smart poultry farming systems that can help manage and monitor chicken health and growth in a more efficient and intelligent manner. A wireless sensor network is set up in an IoT-based smart poultry farming system to link all sensors in the farm to a communication gateway, which can then connect to the Internet and send data to cloud-based web services. Decisions are made based on the data collected and sent back to the communication gateway and then on to a controller for poultry farming. Farmers can also access and change the control as needed. The goal of this article is to compile information on IoT-based smart poultry farming applications, including data collection, different sensor types, deployment information, and IoT platforms to access data via the cloud. Communication methods utilized in IoT are also discussed.

This article provides an explanation of some commonly used terms in IoT-based Smart Poultry Farming, as well as an overview of IoT in agriculture. The implementation of IoT solutions in the poultry farming sector can help farmers shift from manual to smart poultry farming by creating an intelligent network and data processing system.

The term "Internet of Things" (IoT) was first introduced in 1999 by Kevin Ashton, and it enables the integration of the physical world into computer-based systems, resulting in efficiency improvements, economic benefits, and reduced human exertion. Some of the advantages of IoT include cost reduction, efficiency and productivity, business opportunities, easy and remote access, speedy work, multitasking, minimizing human effort, and improving security. The Government of Bangladesh has taken several initiatives to promote the use of IoT, including creating a 1 billion USD IoT industry by 2023, establishing a national IoT research and development center, and setting up three training, research, and development, innovation, and exhibition centers related to IoT by 2025.

Benefits of IoT-based Smart Poultry Farming:

The use of IoT in poultry farming offers several benefits, including:

1. Automated Monitoring: IoT sensors can be used to monitor various aspects of poultry farming, such as temperature, humidity, and lighting. This data can be analyzed to optimize the environment for the birds, resulting in better growth and health.

2. Predictive Maintenance: IoT sensors can also be used to monitor the condition of poultry equipment, such as feeders and waterers. This data can be analyzed to predict when maintenance is required, reducing downtime and improving overall efficiency.

3. Improved Biosecurity: IoT sensors can be used to monitor the movement of people and animals on the farm, reducing the risk of disease transmission between flocks.

4. Data Analytics: The data collected by IoT sensors can be analyzed to identify trends and patterns that can be used to optimize poultry farming practices and improve productivity.

Implementation Challenges:

Implementing IoT-based smart poultry farming can pose several challenges, including:

1. Cost: IoT sensors and other technologies can be expensive, making it difficult for small-scale farmers to adopt these solutions.

2. Connectivity: Poultry farms are often located in remote areas with limited internet connectivity, making it difficult to transmit data from IoT sensors to the cloud.

3. Data Security: The data collected by IoT sensors can be sensitive and needs to be protected from unauthorized access. It is crucial to ensure that the data collected is stored securely and only accessible to authorized personnel.

Future Scope:

The use of IoT in poultry farming is still in its early stages, and there is a lot of potential for further research and development. One area that requires more attention is the development of more accurate and reliable sensors for monitoring poultry health and behavior.

The integration of IoT with other technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain can further enhance the benefits of IoT for poultry farming. For example, AI can be used to provide more accurate disease detection and diagnosis, while blockchain can be used to ensure the authenticity and security of the data collected.

Implementation Strategies:

There are several strategies that farmers can use to implement IoT-based smart poultry farming, including:

1. Start Small: Farmers can begin by implementing a few IoT sensors and gradually increase their use as they become more familiar with the technology.

2. Collaborate with IoT Providers: Farmers can collaborate with IoT providers who can offer customized solutions that fit their needs and budget.

3. Leverage Government Initiatives: Governments are increasingly promoting the use of IoT in agriculture and may offer subsidies or grants to support farmers in adopting these technologies.

4. Educate Farm Personnel: It is important to educate farm personnel on the benefits of IoT and how to use the technology effectively.

Case Studies:

Several case studies demonstrate the effectiveness of IoT-based smart poultry farming. For example, a study conducted in Nigeria showed that the use of IoT sensors for monitoring temperature, humidity, and lighting resulted in a 35% increase in egg production and a 20% reduction in feed consumption.

Another study conducted in South Korea used IoT sensors to monitor the behavior of broiler chickens. The data collected was analyzed to develop a machine learning algorithm that could predict the weight of the birds with an accuracy of 90%.

Conclusion:

IoT-based smart poultry farming is a promising technology that can revolutionize the way we raise poultry. It offers several benefits such as automated monitoring, predictive maintenance, improved biosecurity, and data analytics. Despite some implementation challenges, the benefits of using IoT in poultry farming are significant, and with further research and development, IoT can be a valuable tool for farmers in optimizing their operations and improving overall efficiency. By adopting IoT-based smart poultry farming, farmers can enhance their profitability, reduce labor costs, and contribute to sustainable agriculture.