Japan is studying how to use satellites to ‘grow cattle in space’

According to reports, scientists will use satellite positioning system (GPS) to monitor the movement of cattle, and rely on “satellite remote sensing” data to analyze the surface state, so that the growth of pasture can be calculated.

It is reported that satellite remote sensing refers to the general term for various comprehensive technical systems for observing the earth and celestial bodies from the ground to space. Satellite data can be obtained from the remote sensing technology platform, received, processed and analyzed by remote sensing instruments and information.

Ultimately, scientists will use satellite control to move cattle across multiple grazing areas to achieve remote cattle herding.

At present, the team of Takafumi Goto, a professor at the Academic Research Institute of Kagoshima University, is conducting experiments on five idle cows in Shibushi City, Kagoshima Prefecture. They installed GPS equipment to track the position of the cow’s neck and accelerometer sensors that can grasp the tilt and vibration of the body, and monitor the movements of each cow through satellites.

At the same time, the team equipped the five cows with monitoring personnel on land, and they recorded the movements of the cows every 3 minutes. Through manual observation of cows walking or sitting down, the differences between manual detection and satellite monitoring data can be found, and the herdsmen will strive to realize remote control of cattle herding in the future.

This research to estimate grass growth was carried out with the assistance of the “Remote Sensing Technology Center” (Tokyo), a technology that uses satellite optical sensors to observe grass growth. An efficient feeding model is created by circulating the cattle between multiple grazing spots where pasture flourishes.

Professor Goto pointed out: “Idle cultivated land can be found through satellites, and more cultivated land can be reasonably allocated. At the same time, allowing cattle to move freely and eat grass is more in line with the habits of animals.”