How Smart Technology is Transforming Farms
Technology has transformed many aspects of modern people’s lives. From communication to transportation, its benefits are undeniable. With the continued developments and technological advancements, it also expands on the potential benefits that you can get out of technology. In fact, there are many sectors and industries that are now benefiting from technological use that were not even possible a few years back.
One example of that is in the farming sector. The latest technological developments mean more opportunities to reduce costs in the farming sector, drive productivity and generate growth. Discover the current technologies in use in the farming industry and how it has helped cater to the transformation.
Pig Farm Equipment
Precision livestock farming is one of the notable applications of smart technology in the pig farming sector, as well as other forms of livestock. It employs the use of advanced technologies in order to easily manage a group of livestock. This technology allows for optimizing the feeding rates and monitoring of weight and health of the pigs and other farm animals.
The specific technology used depends on the type of animals being grown in the farm. Automatic weighing and sorting systems, as well as unique ear tag systems, a tag reader, and electronic feeders, are very common in pig and livestock farms. Newer developments include pig face recognition technology to make it easier to maintain records of every animal in the farm, saving hundreds of hours on paperwork and monitoring. This is an ideal solution for large-scale farms.
Other new technologies being developed and looked at in terms of expanding pig farm equipment include wearable sensors, cameras, and sound detection technologies. When examining what type of technology to use in your farm, it is important to assess your own farm’s unique needs and challenges.
Connected Water
Proper irrigation and water systems are one of the most important elements of a working farm. In fact, agriculture accounts for 70% of the worldwide water usage. Smart systems are being developed to reduce water usage waste by ensuring that farmers can address equipment failure and water leak problems in real-time. At the same time, smart connected water systems also feature remote control access to the water pumps.
Meanwhile, the use of irrigation sensors in many farms in South America has also contributed to the reduction of water waste. By evaluating the soil moisture data, the system is able to determine when to enable irrigation systems.
Climate Condition Monitoring
The climate and weather are among the most important factors to consider when it comes to the success of farming practices. With newer technologies, it makes it easier to collect data about the existing weather conditions. This will enable farmers to take that information into account and make appropriate changes to the farming conditions to cope with the weather.
Crop Management Technologies
This is similar to technologies used for climate condition monitoring. However, this type of technological equipment is designed specifically for crop management. They function like weather stations wherein they are installed on the field. The devices will collect data about crop farming such as water precipitation, temperature, and overall health of the crops.
This is essential in monitoring crop growth to ensure that diseases and infections can be prevented.
Smart Fertilizers: Enhancing Nutrient Management
Technological advancements in farming now include smart fertilizers, a game-changer in nutrient management. These fertilizers, equipped with advanced sensors and data analytics, deliver nutrients precisely to crops, optimizing growth while minimizing environmental impact.
By utilizing real-time data on soil composition and crop requirements, smart fertilizers adjust nutrient release patterns, ensuring plants receive the right nutrients at the right time and in the right amounts. This not only boosts yield but also reduces fertilizer waste and environmental harm.
In an era where sustainable agriculture is crucial, smart fertilizers offer a promising solution for improving productivity while preserving natural resources. As farmers adopt these cutting-edge solutions, the future of nutrient management in agriculture looks brighter than ever.
Agricultural Drones
The use of drone technology has seen tremendous growth in the past few years. However, it is now slowly gaining popularity in the farming industry, particularly in agriculture. The use of agricultural drones is one of the agritech applications that make it more efficient to collect data.
Drones are used across a range of industries for a variety of purposes. However, they can also be utilized for agriculture spraying, planting crops, fighting pests, and many other tasks that previously required human labor. As a result, you can get a higher efficiency level with the farming practices through use of rechargeable low cost tools, like drones.
Cattle Management
Aside from pig farms, cattle farms are also benefiting from the use of technological devices. The use of IoT sensors that are attached to the cattles make it easier to keep track of their whereabouts, as well as collect essential data relating to the health of the cattles.
A good example of its use is in terms of separating sick cattles from the herd in order to prevent contamination. Drone technology is also seeing an increased amount of application in cattle farms to save on staffing expenses.
Predictive Analysis
The success of agriculture and farming lies heavily on being able to predict the future. When you are able to predict conditions using a graph of previous data, you can mitigate any risks that could devastate your crops or livestock.
Predictive analytics is one of the most important agritech investments for any modern farmer. It helps to hedge against vulnerability from unfavorable farming conditions.
