On-animal sensor systems provide an opportunity to monitor ewes during parturition, potentially reducing ewe and lamb mortality risk. This study investigated the capacity of machine learning (ML) behaviour classification to monitor changes in sheep behaviour around the time of lambing using ear-borne accelerometers. Accelerometers were attached to 27 ewes grazing a 4.4 ha paddock. Data were then classified based on three different ethograms: (i) detection of grazing, lying, standing, walking; (ii) detection of active behaviour; and (iii) detection of body posture. Proportion of time devoted to performing each behaviour and activity was then calculated at a daily and hourly scale. Frequency of posture change was also calculated on an hourly scale. Assessment of each metric using a linear mixed-effects model was conducted for the 7 days (day scale) or 12 h (hour scale) before and after lambing. For all physical movements, regardless of the ethogram, there was a change in the days surrounding lambing. This involved either a decrease (grazing, lying, active behaviour) or peak (standing, walking) on the day of parturition, with most values returning to either pre-partum or near-pre-partum levels (all P < 0.001). Hourly changes also occurred for all behaviours (all P < 0.001), the most marked being increased walking behaviour and frequency of posture change. These findings indicate ewes were more restless around the time of parturition. Further application of this research should focus on development of algorithms that can be used to identify onset of lambing and/or time of parturition in pasture-based ewes.

中文翻译：

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加速度计耳标能否识别出与分娩有关的绵羊行为变化？

动物用传感器系统提供了在分娩过程中监测母羊的机会，从而有可能降低母羊和羔羊的死亡风险。这项研究调查了机器学习（ML）行为分类的能力，以使用耳载加速度计监测产羔前后绵羊行为的变化。加速度计连接到放牧4.4公顷牧场的27头母羊。然后根据三种不同的心电图对数据进行分类：（i）检测放牧，躺卧，站立，行走；（ii）发现主动行为；（iii）检测身体姿势。然后以每天和每小时为单位计算用于执行每种行为和活动的时间比例。姿势变化的频率也以小时为单位计算。在产羔前后7天（天标度）或12小时（小时标度），使用线性混合效应模型对每个指标进行评估。对于所有身体运动，无论心电图如何，产羔的日子都有所变化。这涉及分娩当天的减少（吃草，躺卧，积极行为）或高峰（站立，行走），大多数数值恢复到产前或接近产前水平（所有P <0.001）。所有行为的小时变化也都发生（所有P <0.001），最明显的是步行行为和姿势改变频率增加。这些发现表明母羊在分娩时更加不安。