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The development of a fuzzy decision-support system for dairy cattle culling decisions /

In order to investigate the use of fuzzy logic in decision-support systems (DSS) for dairy cattle breeding, a first-generation prototype software system was developed. The objectives were to determine the advantages and limitations of fuzzy logic for this type of application, and to establish a basis for the development of more complete DSS in the future. The goal of the prototype DSS was to make culling decisions on the basis of monthly production data. An analysis of the development process of this prototype demonstrated the importance of creating a thorough methodology for the elicitation and implementation of knowledge. A framework for the development of fuzzy decision-support systems was established, consisting of four phases: the project groundwork phase, elicitation of knowledge from the expert, implementation of that knowledge, and system validation. In this framework, it is proposed that, in the case of multiple experts, knowledge can be amalgamated or aggregated. Once this framework was established, a second-generation prototype DSS was developed. Contrary to the first-generation prototype, where the encoded expertise was limited to three experts from the same domain, the second-generation prototype considered the knowledge of two individuals from each of three domains (Dairy researchers, Producers, and Dairy herd improvement specialists). An aggregation approach was used which involved the development and maintenance of separate modules, each containing the compiled expertise of one of the six experts.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:QMM.27419
Date January 1997
CreatorsStrasser, Mark.
ContributorsKok, Robert (advisor), Wade, Kevin M. (advisor)
PublisherMcGill University
Source SetsLibrary and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeElectronic Thesis or Dissertation
Formatapplication/pdf
CoverageMaster of Science (Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering.)
RightsAll items in eScholarship@McGill are protected by copyright with all rights reserved unless otherwise indicated.
Relationalephsysno: 001574897, proquestno: MQ29794, Theses scanned by UMI/ProQuest.

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