RFID Technology for Animal Tracking: A Survey

Abstract

The application of animal tracking holds significant importance across diverse economic domains, encompassing sectors including livestock husbandry, agricultural practices, and the conservation of wildlife populations. It aims to track and understand animal behavior, movement patterns, and health status. The predominant use of RFID technology is observed within the domains of logistics, localization, and the tracking of goods. Notably, the application of this technology in the field of animal tracking has experienced a significant surge in popularity in recent years. This paper conducts a systematic literature review focused on understanding how RFID technology is being applied in the field of animal tracking. We have conducted a state-of-the-art research regarding animal tracking solutions in the scientific literature and patents. We have analyzed these solutions targeting which animals are being tracked, which problems are addressed, operating frequency, and whether other technologies are combined with RFID for animal tracking purposes. Among the categories of problems addressed, livestock management emerged as the main area, followed by animal tracking and traceability. Mammals, especially cattle, are the most common type of animal monitored. Considering RFID technology, passive UHF tags appeared more often. Moreover, many works also employed cameras and GPS together with RFID. Finally, this work can significantly contribute to this field by systematically presenting a state-of-the-art application of RFID for animal tracking.