Manual cattle handling systems are widely used in South Africa. A literature review and consultations were conducted with both producers and equipment manufactures, to assess the advantages and disadvantages of various cattle handling systems with the objective of developing a more efficient system that incorporates automation, electronics and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology. In this study an automated, selective sorting (RFID) based cattle handling system was developed and assessed as an alternative to the widely adopted conventional manual management system practiced in South Africa. The system is still under research and not yet available on the market. This document describes the research and development process undertaken which included planning, literature review, consultation, design, fabrication, evaluation and discussions. The RFID based system developed consists of manual, semi- and fully automated components in the form of a neck-body clamp with through access, flow control double split gates and a weigh-identification-sort system. For the ease of comparison the system was developed with a manual by-pass as a control to compare the automated and manual systems in terms of establishment cost, handling duration including identification, weighing and sorting, and operator and animal stress levels which impact on business profitability and system efficiency. Both the manual by-pass and automated RFID-based systems were evaluated. The automated system resulted in reduced handling duration, operational costs and handling stress on both operator and the animal whilst enabling selective automated sorting. The infrastructure was designed to have a capacity to handle 500 animals per day with 5 handlers and a capital investment of R200 000 was required with an operational cost of R25 000 per month. After incorporating RFID, electronics and automation of the system it was established that, on average, cattle handling duration was reduced by 63%, incorrect sorting was reduced by 5.5%, man hours were reduced by 70% with 23% and 14% less fatigue and stress levels to the handler and the animals respectively, whilst achieving efficient selective sorting. A cost benefit analysis was undertaken for both systems with the aim of assessing and determining the most profitable system. An assumption was made that the cash flow pattern remains uniform for both systems over the entire evaluation period. This revealed that the introduction of RFID based technology as an alternative to a manual based system results in an increase in business profitability by 20% and shorten the payback period by 5 years. Although there is still need to further investigate the performance parameters under different environments, it can be concluded that the introduction of RFID, electronics and automation improves the overall system technical efficiency by 32% whilst enabling efficient selective handling. / Thesis (M.Sc.Eng.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2013.

O presente trabalho teve por objetivo avaliar o desempenho físico-mecânico e de durabilidade de chapas homogêneas de partículas de bagaço de cana-de-açúcar e resina poliuretana à base de óleo de mamona; avaliação do comportamento mecânico de painéis modulares de chapas de partículas e madeira de reflorestamento, por meio de simulação numérica, pelo teste de impacto de corpo mole e aplicado em curral para manejo de bovinos; estudo de parâmetros de comportamento de bovinos manejados na instalação edificada com painéis modulares, por meio da mensuração da temperatura de superfície corporal e da reatividade dos animais. Foram determinadas as propriedades físico-químicas e microestruturais das partículas de bagaço de cana-de-açúcar. Para as chapas homogêneas de partículas sem e com revestimento superficial foram avaliadas as propriedades físico-mecânicas antes e após o envelhecimento natural. A avaliação do desempenho mecânico dos painéis modulares foi realizada por meio de uma simulação numérica, em laboratório pelo teste de impacto de corpo mole e, em loco, aplicado em seringa de um curral para manejo de bovinos. Os animais manejados tiveram sua temperatura de superfície corporal aferida por meio método da termografia de infravermelho e a reatividade mensurada por meio dos parâmetros de tempo de saída da seringa e do escore de comportamento na seringa. As chapas homogêneas de partículas de bagaço de cana-de-açúcar atenderam aos requisitos normativos para aplicação do material como componente estrutural. Os painéis modulares apresentaram deslocamento transversal experimental inferior aos valores aferidos pelo modelo numérico. Os animais manejados na seringa de painéis modulares e convencional, de tábuas de madeira, não apresentaram diferença nos parâmetros de reatividade, mas as temperaturas corporais superficiais média e máxima foram inferiores nos animais manejados na seringa com painéis modulares. / This study aimed to evaluate the physical-mechanical performance and durability of homogeneous sugarcane bagasse particleboards and polyurethane resin based on castor oil; to evaluation of the mechanical behavior of both modular panels of particleboards and reforestation wood by numerical simulation, soft body impact test and application in cattle handling facilities; to study bovine behavior parameters managed in the facility built with modular panels, by measuring body surface temperature and the reactivity of animals. The physicochemical properties and microstructure of the particles of sugarcane bagasse were determined. For homogeneous particleboards both without and with surface coating, the physical and mechanical properties were evaluated before and after natural aging. The evaluation of the mechanical performance of modular panels was performed by means of a numerical simulation, under laboratory conditions by soft body impact test and, in situ, applied to a crowding pen of corral for cattle management. The handled animals had their body surface temperature measured by infrared thermography and their reactivity was measured by the parameters of flight time in crowding pen and behavior score in crowding pen. The homogeneous particleboards of sugarcane bagasse met the regulatory requirements for applications as a structural component. The modular panels showed lower experimental transverse displacement values when measured by the numerical model. The animals handled in the crowding pen of modular panels and conventional wooden boards showed no difference in reactivity parameters, but the average and maximum superficial body temperatures were lower in animals handled the crowding pen with modular panels.

O presente trabalho teve por objetivo avaliar o desempenho físico-mecânico e de durabilidade de chapas homogêneas de partículas de bagaço de cana-de-açúcar e resina poliuretana à base de óleo de mamona; avaliação do comportamento mecânico de painéis modulares de chapas de partículas e madeira de reflorestamento, por meio de simulação numérica, pelo teste de impacto de corpo mole e aplicado em curral para manejo de bovinos; estudo de parâmetros de comportamento de bovinos manejados na instalação edificada com painéis modulares, por meio da mensuração da temperatura de superfície corporal e da reatividade dos animais. Foram determinadas as propriedades físico-químicas e microestruturais das partículas de bagaço de cana-de-açúcar. Para as chapas homogêneas de partículas sem e com revestimento superficial foram avaliadas as propriedades físico-mecânicas antes e após o envelhecimento natural. A avaliação do desempenho mecânico dos painéis modulares foi realizada por meio de uma simulação numérica, em laboratório pelo teste de impacto de corpo mole e, em loco, aplicado em seringa de um curral para manejo de bovinos. Os animais manejados tiveram sua temperatura de superfície corporal aferida por meio método da termografia de infravermelho e a reatividade mensurada por meio dos parâmetros de tempo de saída da seringa e do escore de comportamento na seringa. As chapas homogêneas de partículas de bagaço de cana-de-açúcar atenderam aos requisitos normativos para aplicação do material como componente estrutural. Os painéis modulares apresentaram deslocamento transversal experimental inferior aos valores aferidos pelo modelo numérico. Os animais manejados na seringa de painéis modulares e convencional, de tábuas de madeira, não apresentaram diferença nos parâmetros de reatividade, mas as temperaturas corporais superficiais média e máxima foram inferiores nos animais manejados na seringa com painéis modulares. / This study aimed to evaluate the physical-mechanical performance and durability of homogeneous sugarcane bagasse particleboards and polyurethane resin based on castor oil; to evaluation of the mechanical behavior of both modular panels of particleboards and reforestation wood by numerical simulation, soft body impact test and application in cattle handling facilities; to study bovine behavior parameters managed in the facility built with modular panels, by measuring body surface temperature and the reactivity of animals. The physicochemical properties and microstructure of the particles of sugarcane bagasse were determined. For homogeneous particleboards both without and with surface coating, the physical and mechanical properties were evaluated before and after natural aging. The evaluation of the mechanical performance of modular panels was performed by means of a numerical simulation, under laboratory conditions by soft body impact test and, in situ, applied to a crowding pen of corral for cattle management. The handled animals had their body surface temperature measured by infrared thermography and their reactivity was measured by the parameters of flight time in crowding pen and behavior score in crowding pen. The homogeneous particleboards of sugarcane bagasse met the regulatory requirements for applications as a structural component. The modular panels showed lower experimental transverse displacement values when measured by the numerical model. The animals handled in the crowding pen of modular panels and conventional wooden boards showed no difference in reactivity parameters, but the average and maximum superficial body temperatures were lower in animals handled the crowding pen with modular panels.

This diploma thesis deals with the collection of information on work safety and movement of animals in cattle breeding. Their subsequent evaluation and processing, the identification of risks for breeders and reared cattle. The information is supplemented by measuring the time needed to handle the cattle.