Precision Agriculture In The Beef Cattle Industry Thomas Hyde SOIL 4213

U. S. Beef Production U.S. beef production 2002: billion pounds 2003: billion pounds 2004: billion pounds 2005: billion pounds 2006: billion pounds 2007: billion pounds 2008: billion pounds Total U.S. beef consumption: 2002: 27.9 billion pounds 2003: 27.0 billion pounds 2004: 27.8 billion pounds 2005: 27.8 billion pounds 2006: 28.0 billion pounds 2007: 28.1 billion pounds 2008: 27.3 billion pounds (

U. S. Beef Exports & Imports U.S. beef exports (as % of production) 2002: 9.0 % 2003: 9.6 % 2004: 1.9 % 2005: 2.8 % 2006: 4.4 % 2007: 5.4 % 2008: 7.1 % U.S. Beef Cattle imports : 2002: million head 2003: million head 2004: million head 2005: million head 2006: million head 2007: million head 2008: million head (

U. S. Farms Average age of U. S. Farm Operator: (years) Why Is This? - Rising Prices - Fewer new farmers (

The Solution: Precision Agriculture - Using Technology to increase production, profits, and ease of production. - More must be produced with less. - When number of producers go down, production per producer must go up.

Solutions: -Using GPS/locator sensing to track cattle. -Virtual fencing -Bull separation -Pasture management -Artificial Insemination (AI) - Superior selection - Sexed semen

GPS/locator sensing -Currently, a collar with a GPS unit, inertial sensor, digital compass, transceiver and processing unit. -The GPS is used to track the animals movements 24 hours a day. -They can be programmed to take position data at any time interval.

Benefits -Very good way to track large number of cattle. -Makes tracking animals over a large area much easier. -Each unit has an identification number or name. -Allows the user to determine if the animal is healthy.

Disadvantages -Current sensor is bulky -Not reasonable for use in small operations -Data collection and interpretation can be difficult for individuals who have not been introduced to the technology.

Virtual Fencing -Same collar as the GPS locator. -The virtual fence data is stored in the unit -When the cow approaches the fence an warning sound is emitted from the collar -If the animal crosses the fence then a “tactical stimulus” is emitted

Bull Separation -Same collar as the Virtual fencing -The collar stores the identity of the other bulls with collars in the same area -It monitors the location and velocity of the bulls -The collar determines if the bull is acting aggressive by the location and velocity data. -If it is aggressive, then a mild electric shock is released to the bull.

Pasture Management -Using wireless stations throughout the area to monitor. -Contains Temperature sensors, radio transceiver, solar rechargeable batteries, and soil moisture sensor or camera. -This system is tied in to the virtual fencing system -Prevents over grazing of the pastures

Artificial Insemination (AI) What is AI? - The technique in which semen with living sperms is collected from the male and introduced into female reproductive tract at proper time with the help of instruments ( -Superior selection- Only using semen from bulls that have desirable traits that are above the average in performance. - Sexed semen- Using semen that has been determined to produce either male or female offspring by using technology.

Superior Selection -Using only the genetic material from superior bulls for AI -Allows the producer to pick from hundreds of bulls instead of just their own. -Prevents the breeding of closely related animals. -Increases the production rate. -Crossbreeding

Sexed Semen -Semen that is 93% accurate at predicting the sex of the offspring -Allows the producer to have more control over his operation -Process- - Female producing sperm (XX) is 3.8% larger than male (XY) - Semen is stained with fluorescent dye - Passed under a laser at 60 mph (4000 per second) - Undetermined or dead sperm is sorted out as waste

Benefits -Dairy producers - Produce more heifers -Beef Producers - Heifers for expanded production from top cows -Heifers - 1 st time calving -Market - To produce steers

Conclusion -The beef cattle industry can benefit from precision agriculture -With the average age of farm operators going up they must adapt -It makes beef production easier and more profitable Questions?