Prof. LIU Kai (劉凱)

Dr. Kai Liu joined City University of Hong Kong in March 2019 as an Assistant Professor in Animal Behaviour and Welfare and Precision Livestock Farming. He contributes to the Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine by teaching courses in the areas of animal behaviour and welfare, food production and security, and livestock husbandry. He also conducts research in the area of precision livestock farming, mostly in poultry and swine production systems.

Kai obtained his PhD degree in Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering (Animal Production Systems Engineering) from Iowa State University, USA, and then joined the Swine Teaching and Research Center at the University of Pennsylvania, School of Veterinary Medicine, USA, as a postdoctoral researcher. His research there mainly focused on engineering and machine learning techniques to monitor and assess behaviour, health, welfare, and reproductivity of sows kept in loose housing, both in large groups during gestation and with alternative farrowing systems.

Kai has been named as the 2019 Class “New Faces of ASABE – Professionals” by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers. As an agricultural and biological engineer working in animal agriculture, he is dedicated to applying engineering strategies and innovation, and to seeking data-driven solutions to address global challenges related to food animal production and sustainability, particularly the ever-growing issues related to animal welfare and behaviour.

Laboratory for SMART Animal Management 

Precision Livestock Farming:

• engineering strategies/innovation for real-time monitoring, assessment, and management of farming animals regarding their behaviour, health, production, reproduction, and welfare 

Animal Housing and Environment Management:

• alternative housing system design for farm animals
• behaviour and production responses of farm animals to housing enrichments
• novel lighting technologies for poultry production 

Animal Behaviour and Welfare:

• alternative housing systems for improved behaviour and welfare of farm animals

CityU Health and Safety Committee - University Animal Work Protection Officer

CityU Animal Research Ethics Sub-Committee 

VM 2003 - Livestock Husbandry

VM 2002 - Animal Welfare

VM 2102 - Animal Behavior and Handling 

GE 1351 - Food Production and Security