Advantages and Threats of Precise Monitoring and Management Technology Application on Dairy Farms

Abstract

In addition to the usual labor-intensive technological processes (i.e., feeding, milking, cleaning, and curing), an increasing importance in today’s milk production, is attached to the monitoring of animal behavior and the state of microclimate in a facility. While behavioral monitoring is performed on a smaller number of target animals on the smaller dairy farms, numerous modern electronic measuring devices are introduced for the sake of animal monitoring on the larger farms, such as the sensors and biosensors, pedometers, computers, 2D and 3D surveillance cameras, thermal cameras, microphones, laser detectors, and automatic scales, all grouped under the name of a PLF system (Precision Livestock Farming). This system works pursuant to the principle of monitoring and (individual or collective) data collection of select indicators, followed by a computerized algorithmic data processing, whereby the integration of a large number of data provides useful information leading to a decision-making proposal. According to the numerous study results, the PLF system pertaining to the dairy cows has a positive effect on the early detection of animal diseases or stress, which leads to a more rational use of production resources, resulting in a higher production efficiency and better animal welfare. Since a prcise-technology system does not only offer new opportunities but also represents certain dangers, however, it is recommended that future commercialization of precise-technology systems on dairy farms be entrusted to the opinions of professionals who will be able to objectively evaluate multiple benefits of these PLF systems, based on the results of a multidisciplinary research.