WO1994025857A1 - Evaluating animals using eye characteristics - Google Patents

Evaluating animals using eye characteristics Download PDF

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Publication number
WO1994025857A1
WO1994025857A1 PCT/AU1994/000230 AU9400230W WO9425857A1 WO 1994025857 A1 WO1994025857 A1 WO 1994025857A1 AU 9400230 W AU9400230 W AU 9400230W WO 9425857 A1 WO9425857 A1 WO 9425857A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
image
eye
animal
analysis
characteristic
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/AU1994/000230
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Peter Keayes
Richard Keayes
Original Assignee
Brisalebe Ag
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Brisalebe Ag filed Critical Brisalebe Ag
Priority to AU66401/94A priority Critical patent/AU6640194A/en
Publication of WO1994025857A1 publication Critical patent/WO1994025857A1/en

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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A22—BUTCHERING; MEAT TREATMENT; PROCESSING POULTRY OR FISH
    • A22B—SLAUGHTERING
    • A22B5/00—Accessories for use during or after slaughtering
    • A22B5/0064—Accessories for use during or after slaughtering for classifying or grading carcasses; for measuring back fat
    • A22B5/007—Non-invasive scanning of carcasses, e.g. using image recognition, tomography, X-rays, ultrasound
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
    • A01K—ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; CARE OF BIRDS, FISHES, INSECTS; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS
    • A01K11/00—Marking of animals
    • A01K11/006—Automatic identification systems for animals, e.g. electronic devices, transponders for animals
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
    • A01K—ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; CARE OF BIRDS, FISHES, INSECTS; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS
    • A01K29/00—Other apparatus for animal husbandry
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
    • A61B3/00—Apparatus for testing the eyes; Instruments for examining the eyes
    • A61B3/10—Objective types, i.e. instruments for examining the eyes independent of the patients' perceptions or reactions
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
    • A61B8/00—Diagnosis using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves
    • A61B8/10—Eye inspection
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
    • G01N33/00—Investigating or analysing materials by specific methods not covered by groups G01N1/00 - G01N31/00
    • G01N33/02—Food
    • G01N33/12—Meat; fish
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
    • G01N2291/00—Indexing codes associated with group G01N29/00
    • G01N2291/04—Wave modes and trajectories
    • G01N2291/044—Internal reflections (echoes), e.g. on walls or defects

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a method of and apparatus for evaluating the meat characteristics of animals. In particular it relates to a method and apparatus for evaluating meat tenderness.
  • the physical performance characteristics of animals for selective breeding purposes can not be determined analytically and thus selection is determined by persons who have long experience and expertise in the relevant fields.
  • a breeder or grower may consider the records of the animals sire and dam, and then speculate as to whether the animal has inherited its parents' desirable qualities.
  • Such methods are not efficient and do not provide predictable results. Furthermore they are available only to those who have gained the necessary skills and knowledge from long experience.
  • the present invention aims to alleviate one or more of the above disadvantages and to provide a method of and apparatus for evaluating the meat characteristics of animals which will be reliable and efficient in use.
  • this invention in one aspect resides broadly in a method of evaluating a characteristic of a live animal including:- obtaining a sufficient image of an eye of the animal to permit examination of features of the eye; subjecting the image to a structured analysis directed to a characteristic determined to be indicative of the characteristic being sought, and interpreting the analysis to provide a measure of the characteristic.
  • the characteristic may be meat tenderness for example, but it may be marbling or a characteristic inherent in the live animal such as health, strength or physical performance capability.
  • the image is preferably a visible image but it may be an electronic image such as provided by a digital camera or video camera.
  • the image may be obtained in any suitable manner such as manually but preferably the image is obtained automatically by associating the camera with a crush having a head bale for immobilising or stabilizing the head of the animal. Where digital image processing is used, it is preferred that the steps of examining the image incorporate edge recognition and pattern recognition computer techniques.
  • the analysis performed on the image is a granularity analysis but a greyscale or image density, multivariant, or comparative analysis may be used if desired.
  • Image pattern analysis may also be used to analyse the whole or a selected part of the eye image.
  • the image pattern analysis may be arranged to be able to classify image coarseness or texture.
  • a visual analysis of the image by a trained eye may be utilised if desired to assist with designating a zone or zones of the eye to be analysed or for enabling the appropriate analysis for the designated zone.
  • the zone can be selected by the computer according to predetermined parameters.
  • the zone and structured analysis is chosen so as to be representative of the tenderness of the meat from the animal or arrangement of fibrous protein in the muscle.
  • edge recognition algorithms may be used in or as the structured analysis. It is believed that there is a relationship between fibrous protein and meat tenderness, such that an animal with a high amount of fibrous protein has tough meat, and an animal with a low amount of fibrous protein has tender meat.
  • this invention resides broadly in a method of evaluating a characteristic of a live animal including:- obtaining a sufficient image of an eye of the animal to permit examination of features of the eye; searching for predetermined features of shape and/or size and/or pattern and/or pigment and/or granularity in the eye; comparing these features with similar features on images derived from animals of the same type, type classified for required characteristics; finding the closest match, and classifying the live animal as the animal type of the closest match.
  • Typical features for analysis include the size, shape or form of the pupil, iris, the sclera. Other features appearing within the eye such as the retina, vitreous humor, and internal eye, may also be analysed.
  • the step of analysing the features for shape and/or size and/or pigment may involve any suitable analysis and characterization of the features.
  • the step may involve measurement of the width of a ring around the iris, detection of the intensity of a yellowish pigment in the iris, or measurement of the precise shape and size of the pupil.
  • the step of comparing the information so derived with pre-existing information may include any suitable comparison. For example, comparison of the width of a ring around the iris with data obtained for similar animals having similar age characteristics and high, medium and low cholesterol levels enables classification of the cholesterol level of the animal. As another example, if a yellowish pigment in the iris, in conjunction with dilation of the pupil, were to be taken as indicative of the presence of an excess of a particular chemical in the body tissue, then comparison to information derived for a particular animal with similar information previously derived for similar animals having known levels of chemical intoxication may enable a quantification of the intoxication of the animal's body tissue.
  • the animal tested according to the method may be any suitable animal.
  • Particularly suitable animals include cattle, horses, pigs, sheep, game and fowl.
  • the invention may be utilised for selecting animals for slaughter but it may also be applied as a diagnostic technique for animals for breeding or other purposes, including domestic animals.
  • the image may be a visual image, with subsequent steps of analysis, comparison or classification occurring visually and manually, it is preferred that the image be a digital image stored within computer processing apparatus, enabling th steps of analysing, comparing and classifying to be carried out by computer operations.
  • the image may be achieved by any suitable means using natural light however it is preferred that the eye be illuminated by an artificial light source for imaging purposes.
  • the step of analysing the image or images be conducted according to known or yet to be developed edge recognition algorithms.
  • a method of assessing the health, physical performance and/or meat characteristics of an animal comprising:
  • Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic overview of apparatus for use in conjunction with the different aspects of the invention
  • Figs. 2a, 2b and 2c are illustrations of typical eyes; Figs. 3 and 4 are photographs of typical pigs eyes including an edge detection representation; Fig. 5 is a histogram showing granularity indices for the iris of eighteen different pigs.
  • Fig. 6 is a table illustrating the Warner Blatzler shear test results for the eighteen pigs of Fig. 6.
  • Fig. 7 is a photograph of a pigs eye showing the surface structure of the eye.
  • Fig. 8 is a photograph of a steers eye showing the surface structure of the eye.
  • analysing a beast includes a first simple step of restraining a beast 10 in such manner that an eye 11 may be illuminated by a light source 12.
  • the eye 11 is illuminated sufficiently to permit imaging of the features of the eye. Illumination can be provided by a stand alone light or it can be provided by the imaging head.
  • the visual imaging apparatus 13 captures a digital image of the eye and sends the resultant signal to a computer 14 which processes the digital image according to known image processing techniques such as edge recognition, pattern recognition and fuzzy processing.
  • image processing techniques such as edge recognition, pattern recognition and fuzzy processing.
  • an operator is able to select a technique, verified by experimentation, to identify a selected characteristic in the beast.
  • Features examined include those examined by available programs for performing such analytical techniques such as provided under the trade mark OCULAB.
  • Other features may include the surface structure of the ragged edges 21 of the iris or the surface structure 22 of the iris.
  • the iridology technique of this invention may be used in association with ultrasound analysis which may utilise an imaging head 20 linked to the computer 14 in conjunction with the digital imaging camera 13 and the program may integrate both results to achieve a more accurate assessment. For this purpose results for predicting the required characteristic may be compared and discarded where tolerance limits are exceeded.
  • the present invention may be advantageously put into effect by using the imaging apparatus to provide a hard image of the eye to be examined and by using conventional optical recognition devices to scan the hard image and existing analytical techniques to provide the selected analysis of the scanned image.
  • the computer 14 may be configured to determine the width and size of ring 15 around iris 16 (which may give an indication of the animal's cholesterol level and age) and apply the results after suitable analysis as a direct reading of tenderness.
  • the computer 14 has access to a database having historical information of beasts previously scanned and identified for the selected characteristic to be determined, so that each aspect of the eye which provides relevant information may be compared with images in the database in order to provide all such information as an eye may reveal about the health, physical performance and/or meat characteristics of the animal.
  • the invention may be performed as per the following example which lists results of eighteen pigs whose eyes were photographed using a Kodak DCS200 with Nikkor 200mm 1:1 lens as the visual imaging apparatus 13 interfaced directly with a computer.
  • a more accurate image can be obtained by using a Ziess culpascope with its own light source and a real time digital camera which transfers the image directly to the computer storage.
  • the digital images of the eyes were analysed by the computer using the software package sold under the trade mark "OCULAB 3.28", to provide a granularity index which is shown for each pig eye sample in Fig. 6.
  • a suitable site is chosen across the iris being a line running parallel with the longitudinal axis of the eye ( shown as a white line above the iris in Fig.3).
  • the software package "OCULAB 3.28" in conjunction with the visual imaging apparatus then calculates the number of times an edge crosses the line, an edge being a change in colour shade according to the greyscale.
  • Fig. 3 includes a histogram of the edges crossing the line. Whilst in the above sample the chosen site was a line substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the eye, the site can be made up of a series of smaller lines across the iris but around the pupil of the eye.
  • the granularity index obtained in the above example was compared with the warner Bratzler shear test results (meat tenderness test) of the meat from the eighteen sample pigs
  • the granularity index can be utilised as a scale providing a direct readout of tenderness.
  • the tenderness may be finely graded on a scale or coarsely as "Tender, Medium, Tough" It will be seen from the scale that there is not a full correlation between the test results of the invention and the Warner Blatzler tests. It is believed that this discrepancy may be due to the inaccuracy of the Warner Bratzler shear test which is acknowledged to be imprecise for a significant number of cases.
  • the above example used the granularity index to predict meat tenderness.
  • other characteristics of the animal may be determined using the same index or some other index or even a combination of indices or indices.
  • the animal may be graded, and the price paid for the animal or the treatment to be given to the animal may be determined accordingly.
  • iridology is a known technique for diagnosing illness in humans by examination of the eyes there is no teaching that the technique has application to animals for commercial purposes, especially predicting the tenderness of table meat in live animals before slaughter.
  • the presence of toxic chemicals in the blood stream or body tissue of an animal may also be detected by the present invention, utilizing the appropriate analysis such as analysing an image for dilation of the pupil, discoloration of the iris, and/or a ragged appearance in the area of the iris immediately around the pupil.
  • the degree of general well-being of an animal may be detected by comparing the overall appearance of the eye of an animal with the overall appearance of the eye of a similar animal in a healthy state. Discoloration and ragged structuring of parts of the eye may be indicative of ill health, which in turn may be reflected in the quality of the meat.

Abstract

A method of analysing a beast includes a first step of restraining a beast (10) such that an eye (11) may be illuminated by a light source (12) sufficiently to permit imaging of the features of the eye. The visual imaging apparatus (13) captures a digital image of the eye and sends the resultant signal to a computer (14) which processes the digital image according to known image processing techniques such as edge recognition, pattern recognition and fuzzy processing. By the use of such techniques, an operator is able to select a technique, verified by experimentation, to identify a selected characteristic such as meat tenderness in the beast.

Description

EVALUATINGANIMALSUSINGEYECHARACTERISTICS This invention relates to a method of and apparatus for evaluating the meat characteristics of animals. In particular it relates to a method and apparatus for evaluating meat tenderness.
It has been found that the quality of meat after slaughter varies widely from animal to animal, as does the actual yield of meat, making the value of a live animal unpredictable. There is, therefore, a need for a method of predicting meat quality prior to sale and slaughter of an animal.
Similarly, the physical performance characteristics of animals for selective breeding purposes can not be determined analytically and thus selection is determined by persons who have long experience and expertise in the relevant fields. When purchasing an animal, a breeder or grower may consider the records of the animals sire and dam, and then speculate as to whether the animal has inherited its parents' desirable qualities. Such methods are not efficient and do not provide predictable results. Furthermore they are available only to those who have gained the necessary skills and knowledge from long experience.
Various analytical testing methods for predicting carcass quality prior to slaughter have been developed, however most of these methods are at best speculative and at worst inaccurate. Most such methods rely upon subjective analysis of physical characteristics of an animal carried out in an intuitive rather than scientific manner. Of course accurate and non-destructive methods of determining back fat and total fat have been developed but these are not able to predict the tenderness of meat from a slaughtered animal, either before or after slaughter with any significant degree of accuracy. Unfortunately it has been found that meat tenderness varies unpredictably and can differ between tender and tough for meat samples which provide identical results in tests for characteristics such as marbling, total fat and fat/lean ratio.
The present invention aims to alleviate one or more of the above disadvantages and to provide a method of and apparatus for evaluating the meat characteristics of animals which will be reliable and efficient in use.
With the foregoing in view, this invention in one aspect resides broadly in a method of evaluating a characteristic of a live animal including:- obtaining a sufficient image of an eye of the animal to permit examination of features of the eye; subjecting the image to a structured analysis directed to a characteristic determined to be indicative of the characteristic being sought, and interpreting the analysis to provide a measure of the characteristic.
The characteristic may be meat tenderness for example, but it may be marbling or a characteristic inherent in the live animal such as health, strength or physical performance capability. The image is preferably a visible image but it may be an electronic image such as provided by a digital camera or video camera. The image may be obtained in any suitable manner such as manually but preferably the image is obtained automatically by associating the camera with a crush having a head bale for immobilising or stabilizing the head of the animal. Where digital image processing is used, it is preferred that the steps of examining the image incorporate edge recognition and pattern recognition computer techniques.
In a preferred form, the analysis performed on the image is a granularity analysis but a greyscale or image density, multivariant, or comparative analysis may be used if desired. Image pattern analysis may also be used to analyse the whole or a selected part of the eye image. The image pattern analysis may be arranged to be able to classify image coarseness or texture. In addition a visual analysis of the image by a trained eye may be utilised if desired to assist with designating a zone or zones of the eye to be analysed or for enabling the appropriate analysis for the designated zone. In a preferred form the zone can be selected by the computer according to predetermined parameters.
In one embodiment of the invention the zone and structured analysis is chosen so as to be representative of the tenderness of the meat from the animal or arrangement of fibrous protein in the muscle. For this purpose edge recognition algorithms may be used in or as the structured analysis. It is believed that there is a relationship between fibrous protein and meat tenderness, such that an animal with a high amount of fibrous protein has tough meat, and an animal with a low amount of fibrous protein has tender meat.
In a further aspect this invention resides broadly in a method of evaluating a characteristic of a live animal including:- obtaining a sufficient image of an eye of the animal to permit examination of features of the eye; searching for predetermined features of shape and/or size and/or pattern and/or pigment and/or granularity in the eye; comparing these features with similar features on images derived from animals of the same type, type classified for required characteristics; finding the closest match, and classifying the live animal as the animal type of the closest match.
Typical features for analysis include the size, shape or form of the pupil, iris, the sclera. Other features appearing within the eye such as the retina, vitreous humor, and internal eye, may also be analysed.
The step of analysing the features for shape and/or size and/or pigment may involve any suitable analysis and characterization of the features. For example, the step may involve measurement of the width of a ring around the iris, detection of the intensity of a yellowish pigment in the iris, or measurement of the precise shape and size of the pupil.
The step of comparing the information so derived with pre-existing information may include any suitable comparison. For example, comparison of the width of a ring around the iris with data obtained for similar animals having similar age characteristics and high, medium and low cholesterol levels enables classification of the cholesterol level of the animal. As another example, if a yellowish pigment in the iris, in conjunction with dilation of the pupil, were to be taken as indicative of the presence of an excess of a particular chemical in the body tissue, then comparison to information derived for a particular animal with similar information previously derived for similar animals having known levels of chemical intoxication may enable a quantification of the intoxication of the animal's body tissue.
The animal tested according to the method may be any suitable animal. Particularly suitable animals include cattle, horses, pigs, sheep, game and fowl. The invention may be utilised for selecting animals for slaughter but it may also be applied as a diagnostic technique for animals for breeding or other purposes, including domestic animals. Although the image may be a visual image, with subsequent steps of analysis, comparison or classification occurring visually and manually, it is preferred that the image be a digital image stored within computer processing apparatus, enabling th steps of analysing, comparing and classifying to be carried out by computer operations. The image may be achieved by any suitable means using natural light however it is preferred that the eye be illuminated by an artificial light source for imaging purposes. When computer analysis is used, it is preferred that the step of analysing the image or images be conducted according to known or yet to be developed edge recognition algorithms.
In order to increase the reliability of the method of the present invention, it may be used in conjunction with other analyses such as in association with an ultrasound analysis, including the analysis the subject of our co- pending International patent application filed simultaneously with the present application. Other analysis may also be utilised such as body volume for assessing meat volume and/or animal shape for tenderness.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of assessing the health, physical performance and/or meat characteristics of an animal comprising:
(a) using visual imaging apparatus to obtain one or more images of one or more parts of the animal;
(b) examining the image or images so obtained to identify certain predetermined features of visual appearance of the animal;
(c) analysing the features for shape and/or size,
(d) comparing the information so derived with similar information derived for animals of the same type having varying health, physical performance and/or meat characteristics in order to find the closest match; and
(e) classifying the health, physical performance and/or meat characteristics of the animal accordingly.
In order that this invention may be more readily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a typical embodiment of the invention and wherein:-
Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic overview of apparatus for use in conjunction with the different aspects of the invention;
Figs. 2a, 2b and 2c are illustrations of typical eyes; Figs. 3 and 4 are photographs of typical pigs eyes including an edge detection representation; Fig. 5 is a histogram showing granularity indices for the iris of eighteen different pigs.
Fig. 6 is a table illustrating the Warner Blatzler shear test results for the eighteen pigs of Fig. 6.
Fig. 7 is a photograph of a pigs eye showing the surface structure of the eye.
Fig. 8 is a photograph of a steers eye showing the surface structure of the eye.
As illustrated in Fig. 1, analysing a beast includes a first simple step of restraining a beast 10 in such manner that an eye 11 may be illuminated by a light source 12. The eye 11 is illuminated sufficiently to permit imaging of the features of the eye. Illumination can be provided by a stand alone light or it can be provided by the imaging head.
The visual imaging apparatus 13 captures a digital image of the eye and sends the resultant signal to a computer 14 which processes the digital image according to known image processing techniques such as edge recognition, pattern recognition and fuzzy processing. By the use of such techniques, an operator is able to select a technique, verified by experimentation, to identify a selected characteristic in the beast. Features examined include those examined by available programs for performing such analytical techniques such as provided under the trade mark OCULAB. Other features may include the surface structure of the ragged edges 21 of the iris or the surface structure 22 of the iris. The iridology technique of this invention may be used in association with ultrasound analysis which may utilise an imaging head 20 linked to the computer 14 in conjunction with the digital imaging camera 13 and the program may integrate both results to achieve a more accurate assessment. For this purpose results for predicting the required characteristic may be compared and discarded where tolerance limits are exceeded.
The present invention may be advantageously put into effect by using the imaging apparatus to provide a hard image of the eye to be examined and by using conventional optical recognition devices to scan the hard image and existing analytical techniques to provide the selected analysis of the scanned image.
In addition to the above the computer 14 may be configured to determine the width and size of ring 15 around iris 16 (which may give an indication of the animal's cholesterol level and age) and apply the results after suitable analysis as a direct reading of tenderness. Alternatively the computer 14 has access to a database having historical information of beasts previously scanned and identified for the selected characteristic to be determined, so that each aspect of the eye which provides relevant information may be compared with images in the database in order to provide all such information as an eye may reveal about the health, physical performance and/or meat characteristics of the animal.
The invention may be performed as per the following example which lists results of eighteen pigs whose eyes were photographed using a Kodak DCS200 with Nikkor 200mm 1:1 lens as the visual imaging apparatus 13 interfaced directly with a computer. A more accurate image can be obtained by using a Ziess culpascope with its own light source and a real time digital camera which transfers the image directly to the computer storage. The digital images of the eyes were analysed by the computer using the software package sold under the trade mark "OCULAB 3.28", to provide a granularity index which is shown for each pig eye sample in Fig. 6. To obtain the granularity index, a suitable site is chosen across the iris being a line running parallel with the longitudinal axis of the eye ( shown as a white line above the iris in Fig.3). The software package "OCULAB 3.28" in conjunction with the visual imaging apparatus then calculates the number of times an edge crosses the line, an edge being a change in colour shade according to the greyscale. Fig. 3 includes a histogram of the edges crossing the line. Whilst in the above sample the chosen site was a line substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the eye, the site can be made up of a series of smaller lines across the iris but around the pupil of the eye.
The granularity index obtained in the above example, was compared with the warner Bratzler shear test results (meat tenderness test) of the meat from the eighteen sample pigs
(Fig. 7) after slaughter and shows a high correlation. Thus the granularity index can be utilised as a scale providing a direct readout of tenderness. The tenderness may be finely graded on a scale or coarsely as "Tender, Medium, Tough" It will be seen from the scale that there is not a full correlation between the test results of the invention and the Warner Blatzler tests. It is believed that this discrepancy may be due to the inaccuracy of the Warner Bratzler shear test which is acknowledged to be imprecise for a significant number of cases.
The above example used the granularity index to predict meat tenderness. However, other characteristics of the animal may be determined using the same index or some other index or even a combination of indices or indices. In view of the prediction of characteristics of the animal provided by the invention the animal may be graded, and the price paid for the animal or the treatment to be given to the animal may be determined accordingly.
While iridology is a known technique for diagnosing illness in humans by examination of the eyes there is no teaching that the technique has application to animals for commercial purposes, especially predicting the tenderness of table meat in live animals before slaughter.
The presence of toxic chemicals in the blood stream or body tissue of an animal may also be detected by the present invention, utilizing the appropriate analysis such as analysing an image for dilation of the pupil, discoloration of the iris, and/or a ragged appearance in the area of the iris immediately around the pupil. Furthermore it is also considered that the degree of general well-being of an animal may be detected by comparing the overall appearance of the eye of an animal with the overall appearance of the eye of a similar animal in a healthy state. Discoloration and ragged structuring of parts of the eye may be indicative of ill health, which in turn may be reflected in the quality of the meat.
It will of course be understood that the above has been given only by way of illustrative example of the present invention and that all such modifications and variations thereto as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of the invention as is defined in the appended claims.

Claims

THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS:-
1. A method of evaluating a characteristic in an animal, including:- obtaining an image of an eye or a selected portion of an eye of the animal; subjecting the image to a structured analysis directed to a feature determined to be indicative of the characteristic being sought, and interpreting the analysis to provide a measure of the characteristic.
2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the characteristic is meat tenderness and the image portion includes an edge portion of the iris adjacent the pupil.
3. A method as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the image portion analysed is a narrow strip and the analysis provides a granularity index for the strip.
4. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the image portion is a side edge portion of the iris and the image is analysed for geometric??? formations.
5. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the image portion is an upper or lower edge portion of the iris and the image is analysed for relative image density and surface structure.
6. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the method further includes immobilizing the head of the live beast in a crush for the duration of the ultrasound imaging.
7. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the structured analysis is comparative analysis, comparing the instant image with an image indicative of a selected characteristic.
8. Apparatus for carrying out the method defined in any one of the above claims.
9 Apparatus including imaging apparatus for obtaining an image of an eye or a selected portion of an eye of the animal; analysing apparatus for subjecting the image to a structured analysis directed to a feature determined to be indicative of the characteristic being sought, and interpreting apparatus for interpreting the analysis to provide a measure of the characteristic.
10. Apparatus as herein before described.
11. A method as herein before described.
PCT/AU1994/000230 1993-05-04 1994-05-04 Evaluating animals using eye characteristics WO1994025857A1 (en)

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NL1000883C2 (en) * 1995-07-25 1997-01-28 Gascoigne Melotte Bv Automatic recognition system for domestic animals
EP0821912A2 (en) * 1996-07-25 1998-02-04 Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd. Animal body identifying device and body identifying system
NL1011509C2 (en) * 1999-01-05 2000-07-06 Nedap Nv Method for biometric identification of animals.
US6167759B1 (en) 1997-11-14 2001-01-02 Colorado Seminary Ultrasonic system for grading meat
EP1219170A2 (en) * 2000-12-29 2002-07-03 Voit, Stefan, Dipl.-Wirtsch.-Ing. Method and means for documenting the health and sickness condition of large farm animals
US8538126B2 (en) 2007-08-22 2013-09-17 Icerobotics, Ltd. Method and apparatus for the automatic grading of condition of livestock
CN108464814A (en) * 2018-02-27 2018-08-31 中国人民解放军陆军军医大学 A kind of anti-dropout experimental animal is with wearable through sight stimulating apparatus

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