Precision Farming Systems

New technologies are changing the shape of the dairy industry across the globe, with improvements in cow genetics and feeding systems as well as farmer well-being. The trend towards fewer larger dairy farms is characterised by smaller profit margins, with small changes in efficiency having a large impact on profitability. Additionally, there has been a dramatic increase in the emphasis on consumer protection, continuous quality assurance, natural foods, pathogen-free food, and on a reduction in the use of medical treatment, as well as an increased concern for animal welfare. Precision farming systems have been defined as "the use of information technologies for the assessment of fine-scale animal and physical resource variability aimed at improved management strategies for optimising economic, social and environmental farming". Precision dairy farming is an inherently interdisciplinary field incorporating concepts from (bio) informatics, biostatistics, grass and animal breeding, animal husbandry and nutrition, machine learning, sensor networking, autonomic network management and engineering. The potential benefits of precision farming systems include increased efficiency, reduced costs, improved product quality, reduced environmental impact, and improved animal health and welfare, thereby facilitating a holistic approach to sustainable farming (i.e. economic, environmental, stakeholder perception, and food security).