Precision Livestock Farming: What Does It Contain and What Are the Perspectives?

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Digital tools are becoming increasingly important in livestock farming. The impact of digitalization appears to be best documented in dairy cattle husbandry. Precision Livestock Farming (PLF) is a term that encompasses sensors for the capture of biological information, algorithms processing the information and interfaces that allow for making use of these data. PLF is expected to optimize animal production, health and welfare. PLF provides an enormous amount of animal information that can be used in various ways. While some systems, e.g., estrus detection systems, are already extensively used, other systems await practical application. PLF may allow for progress in animal health, production, and welfare. However, so far there is little scientific evidence that application of PLF does actually have an effect. It is to be expected that PLF will alter the animal–human relationship and will have a substantial impact on veterinary practice. ABSTRACT: Precision Livestock Farming (PLF) describes the combined use of sensor technology, the related algorithms, interfaces, and applications in animal husbandry. PLF technology is used in all animal production systems and most extensively described in dairy farming. PLF is developing rapidly and is moving beyond health alarms towards an integrated decision-making system. It includes animal sensor and production data but also external data. Various applications have been proposed or are available commercially, only a part of which has been evaluated scientifically; the actual impact on animal health, production and welfare therefore remains largely unknown. Although some technology has been widely implemented (e.g., estrus detection and calving detection), other systems are adopted more slowly. PLF offers opportunities for the dairy sector through early disease detection, capturing animal-related information more objectively and consistently, predicting risks for animal health and welfare, increasing the efficiency of animal production and objectively determining animal affective states. Risks of increasing PLF usage include the dependency on the technology, changes in the human–animal relationship and changes in the public perception of dairy farming. Veterinarians will be highly affected by PLF in their professional life; they nevertheless must adapt to this and play an active role in further development of technology.