Artificial intelligence is no longer just a topic for technology conferences or research labs. Slowly but surely, it is making its way into agriculture, and dairy farming will be no exception. As highlighted in a recent Dairy Herd Management article, Miel Hostens of Cornell University points out that while AI is still in an exploratory stage, its impact on dairies will become more visible in the coming years.
At present, there are only a few AI-based tools ready for daily use. However, developers are moving quickly to create systems that can support farmers in areas such as parlor management, lameness scoring, body condition scoring, and calving detection. The driving forces behind this progress include more affordable computing power, advances in image and video analysis, and machine learning techniques capable of identifying patterns that go beyond what humans program directly.
Early versions of these technologies already exist in the form of alert systems programmed with statistical thresholds. The difference with true AI is that algorithms can learn from data independently and adapt over time. This evolution raises important questions. If a machine makes a wrong call on a cow’s health, who is responsible for the outcome? If data from a farm is fed into a company’s algorithm, who really owns the insights created from it?
Hostens emphasizes that, in principle, farmers remain the owners of their data. Yet he also acknowledges that multiple parties may claim rights, which makes it essential for farms to understand contracts before they commit. Practical concerns remain as well: just like robotic milkers, AI-driven tools can and will break down. Farms that adopt them will need plans for maintenance and backups when systems go offline.
The potential advantages are real. AI could reduce repetitive labor, improve detection of health issues, and create efficiencies across operations. But it will also shift job requirements, with less time spent walking pens and more time required to service equipment and keep digital systems running smoothly. For now, Hostens advises dairy managers to start preparing by organizing their data and thinking about which challenges on their farms could realistically be addressed through AI.
The dairy industry has always adapted to change, but AI introduces not just new tools, but new ethical, legal, and managerial considerations. Progress will take time, and caution will be as important as optimism. What do you think of this approach?
