Animal husbandry, dairy going hi-tech

New Delhi: In a bid to deploy the latest technologies and devices like biometrics, Internet of Things (IoT), and drones in animal husbandry and dairy, the central government will soon engage such entities specializing in this sector. These entities will include leading lT companies, livestock and dairying organizations, startups, and research and educational institutes.

The Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying (DAHD) has begun the process of engaging IT organizations for the use of biometrics for animal identification, use of IoT devices for livestock animals, traceability solutions for dairy and livestock products using blockchain or any other technology, and use of drone technology in the livestock and dairying sector, official sources told Bizz Buzz.

A year ago, the government launched the National Digital Livestock Mission (NDLM) to uniquely identify every livestock. As of now, cattle identification in India is done mostly through ear tags. However, a need has been felt for a biometric method for animal identification which will make the unique ID a fool-proof mechanism for all purposes. Hence, the emphasis is on biometric identification through digital means.

Use of IoT devices in the livestock sector will help farmers measure various relevant vitals of the animals, such as their movement, body temperature, humidity, heat detection, other medical parameters, and intake of food, sources said.

This can be achieved by using loT devices for real-time tracking of activity, rumination, and other cattle vitals. The data so collected can be helpful in some of the activities using artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning algorithms. The data will help identify, among other things, identify abnormal behavior for timely medical help, monitor before and after parameters for treatment medication response, and give alerts for artificial insemination, pregnancy confirmation, and stress.