Appropriate data visualisation is key to Precision Livestock Farming acceptance

PLF technologies assist the farmer in the real-time monitoring of individual animals.Development of a web-based visualisation tool to present aggregated PLF data.Fifteen farms across Europe were selected in this experiment based on objective criteria.Six case-studies show the value of PLF data presentation to farmers.Training was a necessity for an efficient use of the tool. Most farmers do not have the skills and time to utilize new Precision Livestock Farming (PLF) technologies effectively. It is time consuming to combine and analyse the data coming from sensors in different formats and frequencies. As part of the EU-PLF project, the authors have developed a visualisation tool to bring together and analyse the scattered data, and present them in an easy to use format to the end user. The correct use of these data might improve animal welfare, and reduce emissions through the application of PLF techniques. Data were collected at five broiler farms and ten pig farms across Europe. At the farms, a number of variables were automatically measured including climate data, production data, environmental data, and data on animal behaviour coming from cameras and microphones. Simultaneously, the welfare of the animals was assessed by trained assessors on a regular basis by using the standardized Welfare Quality protocol. All data were gathered, stored and processed on a daily basis, and visualised on a web-based tool. End-users of the tool were trained on how to interpret the available information on the visualisation tool. This paper presents the development of this PLF data visualisation tool. The farmers use of this tool and the early warning capabilities are described by six case studies. The selected farmers participated actively in evaluating its usefulness, resulting in a web-based visualisation tool that is practical and useful for both the farmer and other stakeholders (e.g. vets, advisors, researchers, etc.).