The impact of smart farming technologies on cows and farmers
Source: Adobe Stock; Copyright: Syda Productions; License: StandardInvestigating how smart farming technologies affect dairy cow reproduction and health, farm management, and the professional quality of life of producers.
Opportunities
We are currently recruiting MSc and/or PhD students for this project. If you’re interested in mixed methods research at the intersection of technology, animal health, and One Health, please get in touch.
Team
- José Denis-Robichaud (principal investigator)
- Stephen LeBlanc (collaborator)
- Geneviève Brisson (collaborator)
In brief
Various technologies are used on dairy farms to support management, improve productivity and herd health, and reduce the workload of dairy producers. This “smart farming” is rapidly expanding, and the range of technologies available to dairy producers is extensive. Overall, the goal of this project is to address on-farm technologies by considering the interconnection between cow and farmer health (One Health approach). For this project, we will develop and launch a Canadian survey assessing the use of technologies on dairy farms, cow reproduction and health, and the professional quality of life of dairy producers. We will then conduct a qualitative study in Québec exploring the use of different technological tools and the challenges associated with them. In a context where responsible innovation is increasingly demanded, the results of these studies will help us understand the impact of smart farming on various aspects of health. Moreover, the insights from producers gathered through this project will help guide the use of data generated by these technologies to develop machine learning models that support decision-making related to fertility and health in dairy cows.