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Article
Investigation of feeding preferences of GPS monitored sheep in a binary choice experimental design under conditions of spatial uncertainty
Journal of Spatial Science (2015)
  • Falak Sheth, Department of Environment and Primary Industries (DEPI)
  • Kurt K Benke, The University of Melbourne
  • Allison Kealy, The University of Melbourne
  • Rabian A Haznur, The University of Melbourne
  • Maggie Raeside, Department of Environment and Primary Industries (DEPI)
  • Edward Waters, The University of Notre Dame Australia
  • Andrew Hamilton, The University of Melbourne
Abstract
A methodology is investigated for assessment of feeding preferences of grazing sheep where satellite tracking is carried out using GPS collar units. Sheep grazing preferences were analysed by a statistically based approach under constraints of spatial error in the GPS tracking data. The statistical significance of grazing locations was determined by testing a null hypothesis on animal locations in two adjacent pastures using the normal approximation to the binomial distribution for proportions. The analysis also included calibration and compensation for the precision of the GPS receiver, which produced an uncertain decision boundary between the paddocks. It was concluded that the approach was effective in dealing with GPS spatial errors and in comparing the feeding preferences of sheep.
Publication Date
2015
DOI
10.1080/14498596.2015.1030791
Citation Information
Sheth, F., Benke, K., Kealy, A., Haznur Rabian, A., Raeside, M., Waters, E.K., and Hamilton, A. (2015). Investigation of feeding preferences of GPS monitored sheep in a binary choice experimental design under conditions of spatial uncertainty. Journal of Spatial Science, 61(1), 173-184. DOI: 10.1080/14498596.2015.1030791