An increasingly digitally connected world opens up new possibilities for successfully combining productivity and animal welfare, as well as information management and the sustainable use of natural resources. Efficiency and animal health, as well as transparency and quality in the production processes, are now the key to economic and ecological success in livestock farming.
"New concepts around digitization can bring added value to agriculture, help integrate agriculture into a dynamic rural area, and make it perceptible as an indispensable part of society," explains EuroTier project manager Dr. Karl Schlösser from event organizer DLG (German Agricultural Society).
"EuroTier exhibitors will be presenting their latest solutions at the Hanover Exhibition Center from 13 to 16 November 2018, and the DLG, together with partners from industry, science and consulting, will explain the importance of digitization for modern livestock farming, with examples explained in special features and forum events."
There are many smart systems emerging in the livestock sector that use new technologies to assist in farm animal management. In the pig sector, for example, monitoring coughing in a group of pigs using microphones can help monitor their health status and give an early warning of the need for veterinary treatment, while systems are also being developed that recognize the vocalizations piglets make if the sow lies on them. These systems then prompt the sow to change position, which can reduce piglet losses in the farrowing house.
In dairy farming, meanwhile, systems are being developed that can collate and analyze data from multiple sources (often referred to as big data), with complex algorithms that identify cows that require attention. Data on the animal's milk yield and movement patterns can reveal vital information about her health and even breeding status, allowing management interventions to be made earlier and financial savings to be made.
Initial indications suggest that all the world's leading suppliers of modern animal husbandry technology will again be represented at EuroTier. More than 1,900 companies have already registered for the event, and the fact this includes about 300 new exhibitors underscores the trade fair's importance as a platform for the modern animal husbandry sector. The DLG expects the total number of trade stands to exceed 2,500 this year.
It is already clear that international participation at EuroTier 2018 will again be very high. More than half the applications for trade stands so far have been made by exhibitors based outside of Germany. A large number of visitors are also expected to travel to the event from abroad. In 2016, about a quarter of the 160,000 trade visitors at EuroTier were not from the host nation.
