Work

Artificial Intelligence—Assisted Monitoring of Water Usage for Cooling Cows on a Dairy Farm

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: High-yielding lactating cows generate considerable internal heat, making thermoregulation challenging in warm conditions. Traditionally, sprinkler systems have cooled dairy cows by spraying water droplets onto their skin to aid heat dissipation, especially when used with fans. This study explores the benefits of AI-assisted monitoring of water usage for cooling dairy cows, aiming to optimize water consumption and enhance sustainability. An object detection model, trained with 200 random images from a fisheye security camera installed above pens of dairy cows in a dairy farm, was used to detect the presence or absence of cows in headgate sections to guide water sprinkler activity. According to the object detection model, the implementation of AI-assisted detection of cows' presence or absence in headgates with an accuracy of 0.924 has the potential to save up to 75 percent of water annually for cooling cows. Additionally, the model can detect cows' behavior patterns regarding location in the pens depending on the occurrence of heat stress. The implementation of AI-powered detection systems in dairy farms has been proven to enhance sustainability and significantly reduce expenses by curbing the excessive use of water.

Source: Animals

DOI: 10.3390/ani15233470

Authors: Fernando Valle, Kelly Anklam, Dörte Döpfer

Institution: University of Wisconsin–Madison

Language: English

Topic: Smart Agriculture and AI

Subfield: Plant Science

Field: Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Domain: Life Sciences

SDGs: Zero hunger, Clean water and sanitation, Climate action, Industry, innovation and infrastructure

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,896