Mapping Hardware and Software Precision Livestock Farming Technologies: The Role of the Texas Dairy Industry in the Worldwide Map of AgriTech

Abstract

The objective of this research is to map available Agri-Tech hardware, software tools, and companies globally that are available to Texan dairy producers using PLF.

Full text

Mapping Hardware and Software Precision Livestock
Farming Technologies: The Role of the Texas Dairy Industry
in the Worldwide Map of AgriTech
A. Lee1, D. Foy2
Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M University, College Staon, TX1, AgriGates LLC, Philadelphia, PA2
•Producers must have an awareness ofPrecision Livestock Farming
(PLF) technologies and the data theyproduce at the farm level while
considering their data ownership and data value.
•Predicted growth in the Texas dairy industry, ranked 3rdnationally by
2025, and willplay a vital role in the future of dairy precision
livestock farming(PLF), and so to the adoption of a greater number
of PLF technologies.
•As consumers; knowledge and preferences change, it
requiresimproved welfare and sustainability traceability and
analysis,increasing reliance on new PLF technologies.
•Texas’s predicted growth will not be established only by farm size
orherd increases, but rather with PLF, serving a criticalrole in
enhanced decision support to the dairy farming operations.Therefore,
there is a growing need to indicate the scope of globalcommercial
hardware and software PLF technologies available toTexas
dairymen.
•As worldwide agriculture begins to migrate towardsreliance on PLF,
there is a growing need to signify the scope ofavailable technologies
by country and region of origin..
INTRODUCTION HYPOTHESIS RESULTS
Table 2. Comparison of geographical locations within the world based on the number of
Agri-tech companies established there and the number of Dairy-based companies
contributed by that group.
Table 3. Contribution of AgriTech products within Texas and those products categorized
within the dairy sector.
•An internet search and scrape method were performed using
internetsearch databases (conference research/tradeshow information,
academicpapers, etc.)
•Examination of company details (company size, location, products,
founding year,products, species) were extracted from websites and
platforms like CrunchBase and LinkedIn.
•Agri-tech products were defined as technologies that
advancesustainability, efficiency, and productivityusingdata and
electronic management tools. Innovations such asfeed/nutrition
products, semen/embryo/genetics, and pharmaceuticals were excluded.
•Once the search was completed, 460 Agri-Tech products from 272
companies werecollected into a database using Microsoft Excel.
•Tables were analyzed and organized into pivot tables to better
establishimportant relationships and insights.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Simitzis P., Tzanidakis C., Tzamaloukas O., Sossidou E. 2022. Contribution of precision livestock farming systems to
the improvement of welfare status and productivity of dairy animals. Dairy. 3(1), 12-28 Doi.org/10.3390/dairy3010002
Keyserlingk M.A.G., Mills K., Weary D. Attitudes of western Canadian dairy farmers towards technology J. Dairy Sci.
107, 333-943, Doi.org/10.3168/jds.2023-23279
Stygar A., Gomez Y., Berteselli G., Costa E., Canali E., Niemi J., Llonch P., Pastell M. 2021. A Systematic Review on
commercially available and validated sensor technologies for welfare assessment of dairy cattle. Front. Vet. Sci. 29:8,
https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2021.634338
Spencer J. 2021. How will Texas succeed at ranking No. 3 for milk production by 2025?. TAMU Ag. Ext.
https://texasdairymatters.tamu.edu
REFERENCES
BIG PICTURE - RESULTS
Table 2. State breakdown of Agri-Tech Companies within the United States.
It was hypothesized that the rapidly evolving landscape of improved
AgriTech products and companies, is lacking in the dairy sector within
the state of Texas.
Country Total
Companies
Dairy
Companies
United States 101 49
European Union 91 55
United Kingdom 26 13
Canada 18 9
Others 62 29
With Texas’s growing importance and ranking in US dairy production,
Texas producers and AgriTech companies should focus on designing
appropriate systems and outputs suited to Texas dairy practices and farm
styles, stimulating greater PLF advances to bring value to farms and the
economic impact of AgriTech innovation in Texas.
CONCLUSION
The data collected represents a “total” of AgriTech products and
companies in the world based upon production species that the
company/products are marketed towards. i.e., beef, dairy, swine,
poultry, pork, multi-species.
UNDERSTANDING “TOTALITY”
alanamlee@tamu.edu d.foy@agrigates.io
The objective of this research is to map available Agri-Tech hardware,
software tools, and companies globally that are available to Texan dairy
producers using PLF.
OBJECTIVE
•The United States is home to 101 AgriTech companies
(37.1% of companies worldwide). Out of 460 Agri-Tech
products total, 377 (69%) of the products are dairy-
based products.
•There are 6 dairy centered AgriTech companies
headquartered in Texas with a total of 19 products.
•It is necessary for Texan dairy producers and innovators
to play an increased role in designing appropriate dairy
production systems for Texas to meet growth potential
and PLF.
•Texas plays a major role in worldwide dairy production
by contributing 6% of all AgriTech products.
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