PILOT 5.2 Farm of Things in Extensive Cattle Holdings

Farm of Things in Extensive Cattle Holdings

CHALLENGE

Current production environments for dairy and related products suffer from problems in relation to the lack of information from farms about animal well-being, crop and soil properties, inaccuracy of animal details such as animal identification and lack of transparent production processes.

AIM

This pilot focuses on improving animals’ well-being and health in dairy farms, and how this can affect the quality and information of processed products, also considering cereals and eggs as raw materials. This pilot also considers the collaboration of farmers and end-user involvement in quality testing and feedback provision.

HOW

The problem is approached from the following perspectives: (i) ensuring the optimal feeding of cows by managing animal wellness and measuring crops and soil properties (irrigation, need for fertilising), (ii) improving the production management in a livestock farm integrating new technologies into the daily operations, (iii) integrating data brokering solutions in current production systems of dairy products and pastries, and (iv) end-user feedback management. New technologies such as sensor and surveillance systems as well as new software on smart glasses and a smart watch will be implemented.

BENEFIT

The project will result in production costs optimisation, better product quality, improved animal welfare, better farm work organisation and reliable traceability through animal identification and livestock management. Also, it will increase end-user involvement by allowing feedback on items such as recipes, ingredients and more.