About the Project

Precision livestock farming is transforming how animal health and welfare are monitored on farms. However, many current monitoring systems rely primarily on visual or activity-based sensors, meaning important behavioural and physiological signals may be missed. Sound within livestock environments contains a wealth of information about animal behaviour, health and emotional state, yet it remains relatively under-utilised in commercial dairy systems.

This PhD will investigate how bioacoustics and artificial intelligence can be combined to develop automated, non-invasive approaches for assessing dairy cattle welfare. The project will explore how acoustic information generated by cattle and their surrounding environment can be analysed to identify patterns associated with behaviour, health status and welfare.

The research will involve collecting and analysing sound data from dairy housing environments, linking acoustic patterns to behavioural and health indicators, and developing computational models capable of detecting meaningful welfare-related signals. The project will also explore how acoustic information may be integrated with other forms of farm data to improve the reliability of automated welfare assessment.

The successful candidate will undertake a structured training programme at the start of the PhD to develop skills in areas such as programming, data analysis, machine learning and signal processing. This will provide the technical foundation required to work with large acoustic datasets and develop analytical approaches relevant to livestock systems.

In addition to technical training, the student will gain experience in animal behaviour and welfare research, precision livestock technologies, and interdisciplinary collaboration between animal science and data science.

The PhD will be based at Harper Adams University and co-supervised by Dr Pedro Machado at Nottingham Trent University.

Applicants must hold, or expect to hold, a Master’s degree (MSc) in a relevant discipline such as:

Animal Sciences
Veterinary Medicine
Veterinary Sciences
Animal Behaviour and Welfare

Strong quantitative skills are desirable. Prior experience in one or more of the following would be advantageous:

Behavioural observation and welfare assessment
Dairy cattle management
Bioacoustics or signal analysis
Programming in Python or R
Statistical modelling

Applicants without prior AI experience are encouraged to apply, as structured AI/ML training will be provided.

Keywords

Funding Notes

The position is self-funded. Candidates are responsible for tuition fees and living expenses for the duration of the programme. Applicants are encouraged to explore external funding schemes, scholarships, or governmental doctoral loan options where eligible.

Acoustic Monitoring and Artificial Intelligence for Precision Assessment of Dairy Cattle Welfare

Harper Adams University

Newport TF10 8NB, UK