Desenvolvimento de eletrodos para avaliação do comportamento ingestivo usando sEMG

Abstract

The evaluation of ingestive behavior of ruminants, especially in dairy cattle, has huge importance to increase efficiency and milk production in Brazil. Several methods have been used to estimate the consumption, however, many of them are laborious or can cause animal discomfort. Surface electromyography was proposed to perform this monitoring, however it presents limitations in time monitoring depending on electrolytic gel endurance. In this sense, this work proposes the use of a metallic electrode for the acquisition of electromyographic signals from the masseter muscle of ruminants. The results showed that the material and the topology of the metallic electrode have a strong influence on signal quality, and the correct selection allows an acquisition of sEMG with equivalent quality with superior comfort, in addition to the possibility for long term monitoring without interfering in animal natural behavior.