From agriculture to AI-griculture: How tech is changing farming

Image caption,

George McMaster uses technology to help him with work on his farm

By

Agriculture and environment correspondent, BBC News NI

George McMaster's farming career started with milking eight cows in a byre, relying on his eyes to spot any health issues in his cattle.

He still watches his now-300-strong herd, but via a feed from an AI camera in the milking parlour at the farm near Islandmagee in County Antrim.

The device uses an algorithm which assigns each cow its own ID, records a short video of the animal every day, analyses it and flags any changes - often before they are visible to the human eye.

For the third generation farmer, it is "absolutely incredible to move from all hand-done to sitting on the phone, watching what's happening outside".

Image caption,

Jack and his father George on their Islandmagee farm

Making everyone happy

It is just one example of how technology is changing the traditional profession.

George's son Jack, who is taking over the farm, jumped at the chance to get involved with the CattleEye app when a local developer approached him.

He, too, is astonished by the potential.

"There's cows there we would never have thought of as lame when we were just watching them every day, but whenever the camera's watching they're picking them up so much earlier, any emergencies that we have, to check cows before they lose condition and get sick," he said.

"And if cows are in better health, we get more milk and they're happier - happy cows make happy farmers."

Image caption,

AI is helping farmers monitor the health of their herds

Simplifying business

Caleb Howard is using technology to manage his 90 Jersey cows on the farm near Coagh in County Tyrone.

They filter in and out of a robotic milking machine when they want to, rather than being herded in at set times.

Like the McMasters, he thinks "everything is going down the robotic route" to improve efficiency.

But historically in a place like rural Tyrone, that has come with its own challenges.

Getting high-speed broadband was a game-changer for him - he has been able to open a farm shop with an electronic payment system.

Image caption,

Caleb Howard is a farmer in County Tyrone

"Ten years ago, in our area, phone signal was rubbish, the broadband wasn't great, it was just like a slightly faster dial-up," he said.

"So now everything is much simpler and much easier-used when you've got a good internet connection."

Project Stratum was set up to deliver high-speed broadband to areas like the one Howard lives in.

Colin Hutchinson from Fibrus, which delivered the project, said it had had a "massive" economic impact.

"Being online and having good broadband access is really crucial now," he said.

"And it's enabling businesses like this to thrive in really rural locations."

Image caption,

A milking machine screen is used on Caleb Howard's farm

'Facebook for cows'

Robert Smyth runs a herd of 100 dairy cows in another rural location, near Randalstown in County Antrim.

For four years now, he has used the FarmDrive app to run the business.

"It's so much handier - beforehand you're writing things down, bits of paperwork in the cattle house and writing them down in the office, whereas now you just do it at that time," he said.

"And then whenever you have inspections coming up, all you have to do is go into your compliance section, select reports, and there's your reports for your medicine, for your meal records, for everything.

"The AI really should be looking towards how to manage your farm better and how to reduce your inputs and increase your outputs."

Image caption,

Gareth McDonald developed the FarmDrive app

Developer Gareth McDonald describes FarmDrive as "Facebook for cows". Each animal gets a profile with all her records in one place and a photo can be added.

He comes from a farming background and studied computer science.

Although he is passionate about the technology, he does not believe it will replace humans.

"It's allowing us to work a lot more quickly and efficiently, and on the farming side, it's basically allowing the farmer to see the right information at the right time, where it's kind of that adviser to the farmer," he said.

"We're very much of the opinion we don't want the AI making the decision for the farmer."

Data-driven industry

Almost a century ago, County Down-born inventor Harry Ferguson transformed the farming industry when he developed the linkage system still used in tractors today.

Former president of the Ulster Farmers' Union Ian Marshall says AI is similarly revolutionary.

While the industry has always relied on data, he believes technology will drive how information is used.

"When we take all the datasets, then I think we can deliver on the three pillars of sustainability - economic, environmental and social," he said.

"So I think that because we've got so much data and so much digitalisation in the industry, that farmers will certainly use this to their advantage and can meet their targets, meet their objectives and meet the obligations whilst delivering good quality, sustainable food."