By Phil Durst
Progressive dairy farmers adopt technologies that propel their business forward. This has been true for decades, even centuries. New technology using Artificial Intelligence (AI) has the potential for even greater reward but should be used in the context of quality human interactions and leadership.
In the last few years, technology has come on the market that analyzes employee actions recorded on cameras in the parlor, calf area and other areas on the farm. This technology uses facial recognition and analyzes employee movements to determine compliance with protocols and provides an individualized report card on employee performance at regular intervals. The technology offered by these systems is impressive.
When technology monitors cattle, whether it is production, activity, health measures or lameness, it gives us a progress report on how or what cattle are doing. There are no ethical questions in collecting that data.
However, when monitoring employees, how one uses the information is critical. The animals cannot object to being watched or misinterpret why they’re being watched, but employees can, and their trust in the system depends heavily on how transparently and fairly it’s introduced.
The technology system prepares a weekly report on each monitored employee with a numerical rating indicating compliance with established protocols. It backs up scores with video clips showing what the employee did wrong, either by choice or through ignorance.
Source : msu.edu