Automated Detection of Poultry Farms from Aerial Images for Actionable AI System toward Biosecurity Applications

Yu Li, Rana Das, Cuong Duong, Teng-Teeh Lim, Timothy L. Haithcoat, Ilker Ersoy, Chi-Ren Shyu

Abstract: Poultry productions have shifted towards larger farms and often cluster in certain regions. However, many of the smaller farms with a considerable amount of production are not considered concentrated animal feeding operation under regulation in many regions, and therefore are not required to obtain a permit. As a result, information of these operations is not being recorded and monitored, contributing to an increased risk for biosecurity issues. The development in computer vision and availability of high-resolution remote sensing imagery allows the possibility for automatic localization and operation estimation of the unregistered farms, filling in the missing information needed for biosecurity risk management. The farm information extracted from images can be incorporated with other available geospatial data, such as road networks, watersheds, etc., to build a comprehensive knowledge base for actionable plans. In the current study, we present a framework for automated localization, analysis, and visualization of poultry farms from remote sensing images. A robust machine learning method was developed to computationally link the visual features from remote sensing imagery to Missouri Department of Natural Resources Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation data, to identify the animal farm type, location, and potential capacity in the region. The developed process can be performed automatically on images of different timestamps to analyze temporal and spatial development of poultry production facilities of a region. This research contributes to the effective management and regulation of poultry and potentially other animal farms, providing insights into farm characteristics and capacities while facilitating informed decision-making.