Aidan Connolly

AI enables cameras to put ‘new eyes’ on your cows

Since it is not possible or cost-effective for a human to sit in front of a bank of cameras 24 hours a day and watch what occurs on a farm, artificial intelligence systems offer a new solution.

November 19, 2024

Aidan Connolly

The concept of using cameras to watch your dairy isn’t new, but with the arrival of artificial intelligence and significant players actively investing in the U.S. dairy industry, artificial intelligence (AI) systems are truly transforming the management of cows. New offerings create even more value for producers who have installed these systems.

What can doctors teach dairy farmers about digitization?

August 14, 2023

Aidan Connolly

The last decade has seen our hospitals embracing new ways of collecting and using data – the digitization of healthcare. As robots, smart cameras, sensors, and artificial intelligence (AI) become common on the farm, can doctors teach dairy farmers what works and what doesn’t?

Leading dairies reveal their favorite apps of 2022

Managers and owners on the largest of U.S. dairies use these apps on a daily basis to manage their dairy farms.

September 28, 2022

Aidan Connolly

Given how essential smart devices are in everyday life, it is interesting to know which apps (software applications) dairy producers consider essential. I surveyed managers and owners of 100 of the largest U.S. dairies to find out what apps they have on their phones, and which ones they use on a daily basis.

In Focus: Will 2022 be the best year for dairy in over a decade?

March 11, 2022

Aidan Connolly

Dairy producers’ optimism noted at recent trade shows is matched by current projections for farm profitability in 2022, based on current predicted feed and milk prices. Following several years of tight margins, it seems that 2022 could be the most profitable in a decade.

Are pen-level insights the future for large dairies?

August 25, 2021

Aidan Connolly

Larger farms struggle to effectively use individual cow alerts because there is little they can do to turn the information into action, but they are instead increasingly using pen-level insights to drive management decisions.

8 disruptive digital technologies to watch

August 24, 2020

Aidan Connolly

It is clear that digital technologies are the future of dairy farms, and the current coronavirus pandemic will accelerate their adoption. With the advent of COVID-19, it has never been more critical to rethink what and how we do things in dairy.

8 digital technologies for a new era of beef production

October 24, 2018

Aidan Connolly

The last 10 years have not been so kind to the beef industry. It is facing a triple threat: the trend toward leaner white meats such as chicken and fish, consumer movements like “Meatless Mondays” and even lab-grown meats.