SPECIAL SESSION #03

Marco Bonfanti

Department of Veterinary Sciences - University of Messina - Italy

• marco.bonfanti@unime.it

The aim of this special session is to gather studies in which the element of novelty consists in applying established measurement technologies and commercial sensors to as-yet unexplored fields. New frontiers in the research applied to livestock sciences may be created. For instance, measurement equipment that is already widely used in both intensive and extensive cattle farming (such as accelerometer-equipped collars) can be adapted to monitor the behavior of species other than cattle. Furthermore, data from multiple commercial devices, previously used in isolation and for different purposes, can be integrated to provide predictive models for derived variables.

The session does not exclude any topic related to animal sciences, provided that the instrumentation and conventional measurement technology employed are used in an original way and for specific practical applications. So, contributions may address from animal welfare and health to Precision Livestock Farming. This session is primarily aimed at veterinarians, agronomists, engineers, and industry researchers who wish to solve practical problems in an alternative yet efficient manner by leveraging technology available on the market.

Dr. Marco Bonfanti holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering (2001) and a PhD in Structural Mechanics (2006). He is currently a Tenure-Track Researcher at the Department of Veterinary Sciences (VET) of the University of Messina (starting April 2025) in the scientific-disciplinary field AGRI 04/C ("Rural Buildings and Agro-forestry Territory").
He previously served as a Research Fellow at the Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment (Di3A) of the University of Catania (from November 2021 to March 2025) in the same scientific-disciplinary field.
His current research focuses on monitoring greenhouse gases and pollutants at intensive dairy cattle farms, aiming to establish theoretical and empirical models to determine concentrations and emissions within the livestock sector.
In the recent past, he has worked on the design and modelling (via 3D printing) of innovative wearable devices (pedometers and collars) and on the development of algorithms for the real-time monitoring of dairy cattle behavior and the detection of oestrus events.
He also possesses solid expertise in the fields of Machine Design, Mechanical/Thermal/Electrical Measurements, and Industrial Automation, backed by extensive research experience in the areas of measurement systems and mechanical design.