Current Trends in Artificial Intelligence and Bovine Mastitis Research: A Bibliometric Review Approach

Abstract

Mastitis, an important disease in dairy cows, causes significant losses in herd profitability. Accurate diagnosis is crucial for adequate control. Studies using artificial intelligence (AI) models to classify, identify, predict, and diagnose mastitis show promise in improving mastitis control. This bibliometric review aimed to evaluate AI and bovine mastitis terms in the most relevant Scopus-indexed papers from 2011 to 2021. Sixty-two documents were analyzed, revealing key terms, prominent researchers, relevant publications, main themes, and keyword clusters. “Mastitis” and “machine learning” were the most cited terms, with an increasing trend from 2018 to 2021. Other terms, such as “sensors” and “mastitis detection”, also emerged. The United States was the most cited country and presented the largest collaboration network. Publications on mastitis and AI models notably increased from 2016 to 2021, indicating growing interest. However, few studies utilized AI for bovine mastitis detection, primarily employing artificial neural network models. This suggests a clear potential for further research in this area.