Livestock production managers are taking advantage of new technology.
To keep up with the upcoming demand of 9.8 billion people of 2050 it is going to take a lot of innovation.
Innovations are becoming faster, more efficient and more accessible than before.
Technology also becoming connected, we are seeing technology & biology merge together.
New technologies are shifting society.
Economics, values, identities and possibilities for future generations will be influenced by technology.
The market opportunity is huge.
With a domestic market value of over $30 billion a year and 9 million dairy cows in the U.S.
Livestock production managers have a opportunity to harness this industrial revolution.
These opportunities are environmental issues and redesigning the livestock production industry.
BUT FIRST, WHAT IS LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION?
Livestock are domesticated animals raised to produce commodities such as meat, eggs, milk, fur, leather, and wool.
Most of the time the term Livestock is used to refer to animals that are bred for consumption.
Other times it can be refer to farmed ruminants, such as cattle and goats.
Globally, livestock production is the largest user of agricultural land.
HERE’S A LOOK AT LIVESTOCK TECHNOLOGY
Changes in diet and rising income levels will also contribute to meat consumption
There will be pressure on farmers to feed more people, with less resources.
let’s look at new technologies that livestock production managers can use.
PRECISION AGRICULTURE
Precision agriculture technologies are popular and have been integrated in livestock production.
RFID, biometric sensors and GPS allow monitoring of the farm animals.
Production managers must be able to respond fast to potential problems.
Some 70% of grassland soils in the UK have some kind of compaction.
Up to 12% are deemed to be poor to very poor condition.
For livestock production managers, those numbers represent a serious problem.
Reduced drainage, limited microbial activity can reduce yields by an average of 13%.
A farming technique called controlled-traffic farming (CTF) gives soil the chance to regenerate.
Studies have found that CTF technology could increase yields by 10%.
Other new livestock technologies involve the use of drones for monitoring livestock production.
“Drones offer a variety of potential,” he says.
“In the future, they could be used to locate and identify animals or track grass use.”
BIG DATA
Today’s digital age is characterized by vast amounts of data.
The amount of big data used in raising livestock will only continue to grow.
The world food economy is driven by the shift in diet and food consumption.
These patterns towards reflect in livestock products.
By leveraging big data, the livestock production sector will become more efficient.
THE INTERNET OF THINGS OR RATHER THE INTERNET OF ANIMALS
The Internet of Things (IoT) is another new technology that is being used to raise livestock.
IoT connects the physical world with the digital world.
IoT offers many applications in the livestock production sector.
Livestock production managers will have a better understanding of their environment.
The IoT will help in predicting future events, support decision-making and improve systems.
IoT can empower livestock production managers with information.
Internet of things will alert them to how and when to intervene in feeding and caring for animals.
Mobile sensors are used to track the health of animals and increase productivity.
The Irish start-up Moocall hopes to use this technology to reduce the mortality rate of cows by 80%.
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) AND ROBOTICS
Artificial Intelligence is already being used in raising livestock.
As various industries invest in AI, the value continues to grow.
In 2016 annual revenue from AI-enabled systems grew from $1.4 billion to $59.8 billion by 2025.
Machine learning is becoming increasingly embedded in many new technologies.
Computer algorithms deliver in-depth insight into business metrics and improving data-based decision-making.
Agricultural robots, or agbots, are automating tedious farming tasks.
When you combine hundreds agbots, you end up with an efficient farming system.
This means fewer farm injuries, increased yield, cost reductions, and less environmental waste.
Automated milking robots, for instance, can control and milk many cows within a short time.
While the animal consumes its feed ration through a sensor-controlled mechanical arm, the animal is milked.
AI can now track things like age, milk quality or the animal’s health condition.
BLOCKCHAIN IN LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION
Blockchain is beginning to garner mainstream attention in raising livestock.
Blockchain technology can give the livestock industry the most operating management system.
Livestock production managers can control and audit quality- all in one place.
Blockchain refers to a ‘ledger’ which records transactions in a public, revision-proof way.
Blockchain could be used to track what goes into livestock products and who handles it along the way.
Each animal product would be traceable at each stage of the supply chain.
Even ingredients from different sources will be tracked.
The process of raising livestock would be completely transparent.
Blockchain for Livestock will simplyify agriculture and livestock management
Production managers will be able to assess the impacts of their farming results.
ANIMAL INNOVATIONS & INNOVATIVE ANIMAL PRODUCTS
In a rapidly changing world, farmers face great challenges and also great opportunities.
These rapid changes influence the way the world produces, and consumes animal products.
Global population has increased the demands for food & commodities.
Livestock production managers will need to meet market demands by increasing internal capabilities.
As consumer demands move in new directions, so is the livestock technology market.
