V.DIG.2022 - MLA - FarmDeck Romani Pastoral Co Digital Livestock 4.0 2019/2020 Pilot
| Project start date: | 22 October 2019 |
| Project end date: | 31 May 2023 |
| Publication date: | 29 November 2023 |
| Project status: | Completed |
| Livestock species: | Grain-fed Cattle, Grass-fed Cattle, Sheep, Goat, Lamb |
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Summary
The project was undertaken to demonstrate the range and application of 'ag tech' products available to MLA’s membership, with the ultimate goal of increasing adoption of such technologies to improve the industry’s productivity. A range of products were deployed at assets within the Redbank pastoral operation. Data was collected in-field by FarmDeck hardware, transmitted to a central server via pre-existing cellular wireless technologies, and viewed via Outcomex operation centre in real time.
Objectives
The objective of this project was to demonstrate the capacity of digital technology on a working farm and show how the property owner can benefit from accessing and analysing data collected remotely.
Specifically, this project will supply, install and make operational the following digital components:
-10 water trough sensors
- 3 water tank sensors
- 1 safety - quad bike roll over
- 3 rain gauges.
Key findings
The overall implementation was deemed successful, however the following key findings were observed:
• Some hardware, such as aerials need to be more robust. A more robust aerial was installed in the later stages of the pilot and have held up well against damage caused by bird life, since being replaced.
• Battery life on certain sensors can be improved by means of better placement of core gateway location. The original gateway location was chosen based on available location on the farm. In the long term, farmdeck recommends that the gateway be moved into a more centralised location.
• Additional gateways could be installed to help maintain optimal battery on the sensors.
Benefits to industry
Digital AgTech providers often make fictious claims about where their technologies and solutions are up to. Digital farms play an important role in vexing these claims and determining what red meat producers can deploy today and the value proposition behind each. The benefit of this project is the demonstration to producers that remote monitoring in areas where traditional connectivity is limited or non-existent is now commercially viable and, most importantly, reliable. The development of the wireless trough sensor provides producers with another option for trough monitoring solution, specifically targeting remote locations.
MLA action
The learnings from the Romani Digital demonstration farm project has helped shape the MLA Digital Agriculture business plan. A need has been identified to further test AgTech which is market ready with producers in real world situations to identify the use cases and value propositions of the solutions beyond the simple demonstration of them. This is guiding the current and future MLA investments in this space.
Future research
Future research and development should be focused on expanding the wireless sensor ecosystem. In particular, water quality and animal tracking. Additional research in data analytics of the collected data, to explore water consumption and animal health, is also of significant interest.
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For more information Contact Project Manager: John McGuren |
