A critical evaluation of precision dairy farming technologies and barriers to its adoption

Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2020) 9(3): 313-318<br /> <br /> International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences<br /> ISSN: 2319-7706 Volume 9 Number 3 (2020)<br /> Journal homepage: http://www.ijcmas.com<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Review Article https://doi.org/10.20546/ijcmas.2020.903.037<br /> <br /> A Critical Evaluation of Precision Dairy Farming Technologies and<br /> Barriers to its Adoption<br /> <br /> Naji Awad Ahmed Salem1*, M. I. Alshelmani1 and Almokhtar M. Aljadi2<br /> <br /> 1<br /> Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Banghzi,<br /> Benghazi, Libya<br /> 2<br /> Department of Animal Production, Agriculture college, Sebha University, Sebha<br /> <br /> *Corresponding author<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> ABSTRACT<br /> <br /> Keywords The management of dairy farming has been historically based on<br /> experience and the skills the farm operator has in planning and decisions<br /> Zoonotic<br /> transmission of made. In cases where the farm has large herds, a farming system must be in<br /> diseases, Dairy place, thereby bring an evolution in dairy management, which is data-<br /> farming driven. Precision technologies can bring about increased efficiency and<br /> technologies<br /> decision making in dairy management. Total farmers that have already<br /> Article Info adopted the technology is still relatively low, although data shows a growth<br /> Accepted: in the adoption rate. This research seeks to critically evaluate the precision<br /> 05 February 2020 dairy farming technologies in place and the barriers that have caused low<br /> Available Online:<br /> 10 March 2020 adoption of the technology.<br /> <br /> reduce over the years due to less<br /> Introduction governmental regulation of the commodity<br /> prices and also the dairy farming operation. A<br /> Precision dairy farming is described as the small efficiency in production may cause a<br /> process through which technologies are used landmark impact on the profit. Therefore, the<br /> for measuring the indicators of a particular growth in competition has caused an<br /> animal which include the behavioural, overemphasis on efficiency, thereby causing a<br /> production and psychological signs. The aim more emphasis on both financial and business<br /> of measuring the signs is to help in management. A change or shift in a dairy<br /> advancement of the Strategies used by the manager’s decision making is seen whereby<br /> management and improvement of the overall more emphasis is being put on the protection<br /> animal performance. The profit margins for of the consumers, foods that are pathogen-<br /> the agricultural commodities continue to free, medical treatments reduction (Bewley,<br /> <br /> 313<br />  Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2020) 9(3): 313-318<br /> <br /> <br /> 2010), improved animal care and zoonotic Wearable sensors for the leg, neck or the ear.<br /> transmission of diseases. The shift in the Boluses for the Rumen.<br /> emphasis clearly shows the continued change Subcutaneous implants.<br /> in the management of daily operations. The Online or inline sensors for the milk.<br /> many modifications being experienced is Analysis of videos and face recognition.<br /> because of the tremendous technological Automated feeding and milking systems.<br /> advancements in all the areas of dairy farming<br /> like nutrition, disease control, genetics, and The benefits of precision dairy farming<br /> dairy management.<br /> According to research by (Bewley, 2010), the<br /> Precision farming is termed as the process of following are examples of the potential<br /> using information technologies in assessing benefits of precision farming:<br /> the fine-scale animal and the variations in the<br /> physical resources whose main aim is to An improved level of efficiency.<br /> improve the strategies of management that are A decrease in the operating costs of the farm.<br /> useful in the boost of the economic, An increase in the quality of the products<br /> environmental and social production the produced.<br /> individual farm (Eastwood et al., 2004). Decrease in the adverse impacts of the<br /> Precision farming is termed as the trend environment.<br /> whereby the focus is given to particular dairy Improved overall health and the well-being of<br /> animal by using information technology animals.<br /> (Schulze et al., 2007). Precision dairy farming<br /> has helped to address the development of Precision technologies are presumed to have a<br /> animals, the product system, and behaviours major effect in some areas, which include<br /> of the animal, endemic diseases and the reproduction, quality control and health. An<br /> physical setting of the buildings of dairy increase in the size of the dairy operations in<br /> animals (Wathes et al., 2008). Technologies any farm makes technology be the best option<br /> typically applied in precision dairy farming due to reduced reliance on skilled labour and<br /> leads to the decrease of the skilled labour its ability to use economies of scale<br /> during the handling of animals, thereby technology. Technologies in precision<br /> making it possible for accomplishing more farming enable the farmers to make proper<br /> work using much fewer labourers. decisions which directly results in improved<br /> Application of technologies in precision productivity and profitability of the farm. By<br /> farming in the dairy animal’s observation is of use of real-time data, monitoring can be<br /> great use as far as the technologies in use can achieved through the creation of reports<br /> monitor parameters, is reliable in observation identifying the deviations (Bewley, 2010).<br /> of animal behaviours and can do an accurate Information from the technologies in<br /> description of behaviours by use of secure precision farming is critical as far as there are<br /> algorithms (Berckmans, 2006). Therefore, the effective utilisation and interpretation during<br /> effectiveness of work-routine is improved if the making of the farm decisions. The farm<br /> the technology in place is much more reliable management should make use of<br /> than the replaced skilled labour. computerised information systems to help in<br /> the understanding of the enormous figures<br /> The leading technologies in precision include from the farming technologies. Consequently,<br /> (Endres, 2019): the information in place is incorporated into a<br /> system that supports decision making to assist<br /> <br /> 314<br />  Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2020) 9(3): 313-318<br /> <br /> <br /> in making decisions that need many data which include: increased welfare of the<br /> sources compiled. animals, increased productivity of the animals<br /> and the reduction of labour costs. European<br /> Initially, farmers made use of experience and Union has funded many pieces of research on<br /> judging to help in the identification of the effects posed by robotic milking on the<br /> outlying animals. The historical method of health and the well-fare of animals in dairy<br /> judging and expertise cannot be entirely farming and also dairy animal productivity.<br /> eliminated by the technologies and forms Some governments and NGOs have raised<br /> invaluable skills in dairy products, but it has concerns that welfare can compromise<br /> many drawbacks due to cow’s condition technology in some circumstances. The<br /> perception of the human being. By the time NGOs recommend that husbandry practices<br /> the human being can clearly identify the require to be incorporated so that the welfare<br /> stresses and illnesses in an animal, the standards are maintained.<br /> condition may be more advanced for any<br /> intervention. The observable illness/stress Automatic calf Feeders system<br /> signs are typically followed by physiological<br /> processes that cannot be seen by a human eye Automated calves feeding systems that are<br /> like the change in heart rate and changes in controlled by a computer have a sharp<br /> temperature. There are technologies in place increase in the demand hence saving on<br /> that are used in monitoring the physiological labour. The automatic calf feeding system is<br /> processes of dairy animals that are necessary made up of a stand-alone unit that has the<br /> to supplement the observable signs of the capability for water heating and dispensing<br /> farmer (Whitford and Klimley, 2019). powdered milk quantity that has already been<br /> set and mixes the powder. The mixture is then<br /> Technologies in precision dairy farming transferred to a cylinder from where the calf<br /> is fed via a teat (Fujiwara et al., 2014 and<br /> Robotic milking Soberon et al., 2012). The feeding system of a<br /> calf has the ability to feed groups of calves<br /> Robotic/automatic milking machines have where the first seven days, the calf is supplied<br /> gained popularity globally. The milking using the bottle to enable it to familiarise with<br /> systems frequently conduct milking the feeding system. Using automatic feeding<br /> automatically without any human intervention system, optimum development and growth of<br /> (Butler, Hollaway and Bear, 2012). Animals the calves is guaranteed.<br /> in dairy farming are the ones that choose<br /> when to be milked, and they enter the robot The system ensures that the calves can enjoy<br /> and get milked at any time of the day. a natural feeding rhythm by drinking milk<br /> Therefore, milking system in robotic is whenever they feel like in a controlled way at<br /> understood to increase the farms level of the same time reducing the total employees.<br /> production and is also beneficial for the health Whenever the calf enters a feeding station, the<br /> and welfare of the animals. According to a tag placed at calf’s ear is scanned by a<br /> research, in the UK there were about 50 receiver antenna placed on the station and a<br /> robotic milking machines in use in 2003, in recipe is prepared to depend on the calf’s age.<br /> 2008 the study also established that the figure When a calf is allowed to feed, the system<br /> for the robotic devices increased to 350 makes the powdered milk as per the specified<br /> (Gibson, 2011). Robotic milking is believed formula. The main benefits of automatic<br /> to have many advantages to farmworkers feeding include (Ionescu, 2016):<br /> <br /> 315<br />  Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2020) 9(3): 313-318<br /> <br /> <br /> industries globally despite research<br /> Increased rate of growth for the calves. demonstrating increased productivity. In dairy<br /> It ensures that the rumen develops well. production, the indicators that require to be<br /> Helps in ensuring individual calf management. monitored are biological and vary and<br /> Helps ensuring that proper milk temperature sometimes very unpredictable. Therefore, a<br /> for calves is maintained. sound system must be capable of continuous<br /> Ensures a flexible feeding schedule. surveillance and have the capabilities of<br /> Low maintenances are thereby reducing the quantifying the behaviours automatically. In<br /> operating costs. making technological decisions, the conduct<br /> of the technology and economic benefits<br /> Cow behaviour sensors plays a significant role. Adoption of<br /> technology has been seen where the level of<br /> To understand animal’s nutrition, health, profitability is high, high yield, and there is<br /> well-being and production, animal behaviours cost are reduction (Russell and Bewley,<br /> must be monitored. Animals’ monitoring is 2013). Also, technologies are adopted where<br /> increasingly becoming an essential practice there is low availability of labour or the<br /> (Mattachini et al., 2016). labour available is expensive (Steeneveld et<br /> al., 2012).<br /> Some daily patterns of eating and rumination<br /> are believed to be related closely to the health Dairy producers are required to select a<br /> and animals’ productivity. technology that matches their production<br /> needs. Therefore, many choices exist on the<br /> Traditionally, the feeding behaviour used to dairy technologies that can be applied by the<br /> be determined using methods such as direct producers. Difficulties exist in making a<br /> observation and recording of a time-lapse choice for the technology to make use of<br /> video (Overton et al., 2002). The traditional since many farmers are not aware of the<br /> methods used to consume a lot of time and are techniques available (Russel and Bewley,<br /> also labour intensive, thereby limiting their 2013). The available technologies have<br /> application over long periods and where there capabilities of monitoring animal activity,<br /> are many animals. Currently, new methods temperature, rumination, resting time and all<br /> are developed to help in the assessment of the animals’ well-being (DeVries, 2018).<br /> behavioural activities using automatic Despite the existence of many technologies,<br /> recording techniques. their adoption has remained relatively low.<br /> The perceptions of the farmers need to be<br /> The automated techniques are used for improved for increased adoption of precision<br /> measuring the animal feeding behaviours and dairy farming technologies. The current<br /> feed intake. The method ensures that feeding trends under precision farming, the dairy<br /> behaviours are accurately quantified. The farmers are the users of the technologies, but<br /> system also makes it efficient in the control they excluded during technology<br /> and assessment of dairy farms. development. Considering farmer's exclusion,<br /> the result is the growth of several<br /> Barriers to the adoption of precision dairy technologies that are not addressing the needs<br /> farming of the farmers leading to low adoption rate.<br /> For example, in United States, total dairy<br /> Livestock production control and monitoring farms have continued to decrease, but the<br /> are underdeveloped as compared to other existing farms continue to increase in size and<br /> <br /> 316<br />  Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2020) 9(3): 313-318<br /> <br /> <br /> small firms exit dairy farming (Hadley et al., ensure that an analysis is conducted to assess<br /> 2002). if it addresses the needs of the farm.<br /> <br /> Some of the well-known precision dairy References<br /> farming technologies include the automatic<br /> milking machine that was implemented first Automatic on-line monitoring of animals by<br /> in the Netherlands (Bijl, Kooistra&Hogeveen, precision livestock farming,”. 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