In the world of agriculture, A.I. has become a staple term known by producers as artificial insemination. However, a new type of AI is entering the conversation. Artificial intelligence (AI) is an emerging technology that is making its way into several industries, including dairy. Dairy producers frequently embrace new technology to better their operations, but what place does AI technology hold on farms?
Shari van de Pol is a blend of computer engineer and large-animal vet who presented some of the potential that AI can hold for producers on Season 7, Episode 12 of the Progressive Dairy Podcast. Van de Pol is the founder and CEO of CATTLEytics, an ag-tech company whose mission is to use technology, especially AI, to help farmers make better data-driven decisions and do more with what they already have.
Dairy producers can use AI for data analytics. Data can be a powerful asset to producers, yet some producers may find themselves with an overwhelming amount of information.
“You can have all the information in the world, but if you’re not actually making any changes, what’s the point?” van de Pol said.
Producers can analyze and interpret large amounts of data with AI to inform their decisions, she added. AI can advise producers on nutrition and feed rations, breeding schedules and outcomes, disease diagnosis and treatment – all important elements to a healthy and productive herd.
Not only can AI benefit cattle management, but it has also shown promise in helping producers with employee management. Van de Pol explained that AI technology can be used to develop onboarding processes, protocols and trainings for employees. Producers can use AI to assist in creating employee work schedules and even translate information into another language within the context of their operation.
AI can apply to all farms and producers, not just large-scale operations. Van de Pol even suggested that it can be a leveler for smaller dairies, helping to bring them onto the same playing field as the larger operations in the industry.
Van de Pol said AI can simplify daily decision-making by utilizing programs such as ChatGPT, Copilot or Perplexity. These systems can generate ideas and suggestions using large sets of data, make connections within and between those sets, build pattern recognition, compare decision styles and weigh opinions together. Though not making decisions for producers, AI can assist in decision-making processes and operations.
Even with the assistance of AI, van de Pol said producers still need to trust the experts and professionals in the agriculture industry, such as nutritionists or veterinarians, because there are still limitations to this technology. However, AI can help fill in gaps and generate ideas.
AI on farms is not the imagery of robots taking over the world that may be associated with such technological advances, but it is a tool producers can utilize on their operations. Many companies know AI is a beneficial service, and business leaders are learning how they can implement that technology into their company.
Just as many have become comfortable with and learned to use search engines such as Google, van de Pol said producers can develop a similar familiarity with AI platforms. She said that one of the big hurdles is just trying the technology out and becoming familiar with it.
The learning process does not have to be a difficult one. Van de Pol encouraged producers to start by simply opening their browser and using a platform such as ChatGPT. Ask the program a question. See what the results are and what the advice is. If something doesn’t seem quite right, don’t give up. Challenge it again. Ask the platform to refine its answer within the context of dairy or in the voice of the top expert in the field of their question. Learning how to ask the right questions is a key component in utilizing AI for success.
Another way dairy producers can start implementing AI is to select one aspect of their operation they’d like to work on and then ask AI for ideas.
“Just start small. You don’t need to adopt everything at once,” van de Pol said.
She also suggested producers get involved and get connected by looking for companies that understand both the industry and tech. Producers need to find people who understand their industry and can make the technology work for them.
So what place can this new technology hold in the dairy industry? Although it may be unfamiliar, producers can become familiar with AI through practice. Producers hold the power to make it an effective tool for their operations. AI can analyze data, make connections and offer suggestions based on producer input.
