Detection of Threats to Farm Animals Using Deep Learning Models: A Comparative Study

The increasing global population and environmental changes pose significant challenges to food security and sustainable agricultural practices. To overcome these challenges, protecting farm animals and effectively detecting potential environmental threats is critical for economic and ecological sustainability. In this context, the current study examined the animal detection capabilities and efficiency of advanced deep learning models, such as YOLOv8, Yolo-NAS, and Fast-RNN, across a dataset of 2462 images encompassing various animal species that could pose a risk to farm animals. After converting the images into a standardized format, they were divided into three sets for training, validation, and testing, and each model was evaluated on this dataset during the analysis process. The findings indicated that the YOLOv8 model demonstrated superior performance, with 93% precision, 85.2% recall, and 93.1% mAP50 values, while Yolo-NAS was particularly noteworthy for its high recall value, indicating a remarkable detection ability. The Fast-RNN model also offered significant efficiency with balanced performance. The results reveal the considerable potential of deep learning-based object detection technologies in protecting farm animals and enhancing farm security. Additionally, this study provides valuable insights for future model optimization and customization research.