INNOVATION
Solving Livestock Challenges
through Precision Solutions
The challenges livestock farmers face on a daily basis make it a necessity to use modern
technology which allows them to follow production performance on the farm.
By Martin van Zyl
L
ivestock farmers are facing tre-
mendous challenges every day.
These challenges include the
following:
➊ Increasing production: over the
next 15 years, the global demand
for meat is expected to increase by
40%, triggered by a growing number
of people adopting diets richer in
protein. According to the UN’s Food
and Agriculture Organisation (FAO),
technology solutions in agricultural and
10
SENWES SCENARIO | WINTER 2018
livestock production systems will play a
key role to address this challenge and
to ensure an adequate food supply for
an expected population of 9,7 billion by
2050.
➋ Promoting sustainability & animal
welfare: while increasing production,
it will be important to find ways to mini-
mise the environmental footprint of live-
stock farming and ensure high levels
of welfare and health for animals.
➌ Alleviating farmers’ workload and en-
suring economic viability of farming
operations: it will be important to find
solutions that will enable farmers to
manage a large number of animals in
an adequate and profitable manner.
In order to address these challenges – live-
stock farmers should consider the adoption
of Precision Livestock Farming.
The objective of Precision Livestock
Farming (PLF) is to monitor and manage
animals in a continuous, real-time (24/7)
and fully automated way.
Precision livestock farming informs
farmers of the current status of the ani-
mals and their environment and help
them make quick and evidence-based