Data driven innovations for improved sustainability of ruminant productions systems
Project Lead
Challenges
Scotland’s beef, sheep and dairy sectors are under pressure to improve the efficiency of production, health, and welfare, increase financial performance and reduce environmental impact. The dairy-beef sector is fragmented: production of cattle involves a series of supply chain players and limited data sharing occurs along this supply chain, resulting in sub-optimal performance of the sector.
Precision livestock farming (PLF) coupled with data-driven solutions are recognised as important tools in the future of Scotland’s agriculture. When exploited fully, PLF tools can
- Aid farm-level management
- Improve animal health, welfare, and productivity
- Monitor or reduce greenhouse gas emissions
- Improve traceability of livestock products
Whilst the argument for the adoption of technologies is often clear, the level of uptake has been poor, particularly across beef and sheep sectors. Our previous research and direct engagement with beef, sheep and dairy farmers and supply chain actors identified a lack of accessible information, data and clarity relating to commercially available PLF solutions as a key barrier to uptake. Currently, production and sustainability challenges are addressed by improvements in farm management and investment in isolated PLF solutions, achieving limited progress.
Data solutions which operate across entire supply chains offer enormous potential for improved sustainability. Currently, no system exists to integrate information sources within and between different elements of a supply chain. Recent advances in electronic identification (EID) for cattle (including ultra-high frequency technology), and data integration solutions (e.g., blockchain) can underpin research and development in this area. This is important to drive improvements in product quality and consistency, whilst optimising the efficiency of entire supply chains.
Questions
- How should we develop a data-led livestock system?
Solutions
Through the development of an interactive tool for farmers, industry, and policymakers, this project aims to explore current and new digital innovations, key barriers to adoption and solutions, and provide a robust evidence base demonstrating benefits of integrated data use within beef, sheep and dairy systems.
Digital solutions for Scottish ruminant production systems
Building on our previous work, we are conducting a comprehensive review of globally available technologies, near-to-market developments, and horizon scanning of innovative solutions. Key considerations will include applicability to the diverse range of Scottish farming systems, ability to integrate with other on-farm data sources and tools, underpinning scientific evidence and cost-benefit analysis. There is a significant appetite from farmers for interactive tools to access information which can support on-farm decision-making. As a result, the outcomes of the review are being used to create an interactive tool and database.
Assessing integrated data and novel data analytics
Current data innovations for livestock generally focus on individual technology developments for a specific aspect of production. Significant opportunities for livestock improvement lie in the integration of data streams generated through simple on-farm data capture, PLF designed for livestock, and novel innovative solutions from other sectors. We are assessing the predictive ability of integrated data streams and different analytical methods for monitoring productivity, health, welfare, and efficiency. We are comparing different data analytical techniques to currently available and new datasets.
Inefficiencies and barriers to the adoption of data-driven solutions
We are identifying and understanding key inefficiencies at the individual farm-level and across supply chains, considering the variety of businesses that operate across ruminant sectors in Scotland. Significant investment in recent years has resulted in the development and commercialisation of numerous technologies and data-driven solutions that farmers can engage with. However, previous research has demonstrated that current uptake is poor, particularly across beef and sheep sectors. Using participatory research techniques, we are working with key stakeholders to understand the main inefficiencies and barriers to the adoption of digital solutions and how we can best overcome them.
Enhanced efficiency savings for farms
Many digital innovations currently exist to monitor health, welfare, fertility, intake, and growth in ruminant systems. Limited information exists on the carbon and financial savings that can be achieved through the adoption of these. We are improving our understanding of the expected benefits of currently available and near-to-market technologies on carbon savings and finances after the introduction of technologies on-farm across all ruminant production systems.
Applying Electronic Identification (EID) technology at the farm-level and across supply chains
We are exploring the opportunities and benefits associated with EID use across ruminant production systems (beef, cattle, and sheep) in Scotland and promoting its use in collaboration with ScotEID. For beef production systems, we are assessing the use of EID to improve traceability.
Low-frequency EID tags are commonly used in sheep systems (compulsory tagging) though are underutilised. Direct engagement with sheep farmers has highlighted a wider appetite for Ultra high-frequency technologies for improved farm management. We are working with ScotEID to test UHF systems in sheep. We are assessing the technical performance of UHF tagging and exploring the benefits of adopting voluntary UHF tagging.
For cattle, we are assessing the technical performance and demonstrating the benefits of combined UHF and LF technology. Compulsory tagging of cattle in the UK is anticipated for 2022. We are exploring the application of UHF technologies for cattle traceability in Scotland.
Enhanced efficiency savings for supply chains
As of 2019, the UK dairy industry produced 0.5M low-value calves annually. Many of these calves enter the dairy-beef production cycle and move to rearing units that are different to place of birth. However, on entry to the rearing unit, there is limited calf health information available, and calves tend to be mixed with calves from various sources with different health statuses. Therefore, calves are exposed to new disease pathogens with the potential to impact future performance and welfare. In these low-value calf systems, mortality and disease are high. There is a growing evidence base for the cow-with-calf dairying system. Although economically valuable (depending on committed milk price and beef product premiums) and despite consumer demand for these high welfare alternative production systems, there is no committed route-to-market for calves from these systems. Through participatory research, we are exploring current supply and demand within Scottish supply chains for low-value and alternatively produced calves.
Our overall aim throughout is to deliver clear recommendations that will inform policy and disseminate key messages to the farming community.
Project Partners
Progress
Develop a greater knowledge of digital solutions applicable to the diversity of Scottish production systems
In Year 1 we have generated an inventory of commercially available and near-to-market technologies/tools that will underpin development of an interactive tool for farmers, industry and policy makers in Year 2. As trust/adoption is dependent on evidence we have designed a literature search strategy and criteria for critical review.
Assessment of integrated data and novel data analytics for productivity, environment, health and welfare
We have been exploring integrated data alongside novel data analysis techniques for real-time assessment of individual animal performance and carcass quality in cattle. Building on available datasets we have explored data gaps, developed a new database structure, and commenced data capture.
Understanding inefficiencies and barriers to adoption of data-driven solutions at farm level and across supply chains
Key inefficiencies at individual farm level and across beef, sheep and dairy supply chains will be explored and a detailed assessment of barriers to adoption of digital innovations and recommendations to overcome them will be provided. Four participatory research activities will be delivered across Scotland. At these events we will gather stakeholder opinions/viewpoints on specific research/policy questions. The first activity has been completed, with the second planned for Year 2.
Understanding the carbon and financial savings from technology adoption
We will utilise an existing carbon footprinting tool from a consultant agency, in order to model the effects of technology adoption on commercial and research farms. In Year 1 we have focussed on identifying farms and exploring data-sharing agreements and opportunities.
Application of EID technology to enable data-capture and integration at farm-level and across supply chains
In collaboration with ScotEID, Year 1 has focussed on installation of EID technology onto transport vehicles for livestock and developing protocols for installation onto SRUC Research facilities for assessment/demonstration in Year 2.
Improving supply chain efficiency by exploring market outlets and demand for beef-from-dairy and calves from alternative production systems
The dairy-beef sector is fragmented: production of cattle involves a series of supply chain players. Limited data sharing occurs along this supply chain, resulting in sub-optimal performance of the sector. Through participatory research and consultations with industry partners (commencing in Year 2), we will explore mechanisms for data sharing across this supply chain and new markets for low-value and alternatively produced calves.
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