Emerging technologies including computer vision, sensors, and artificial intelligence are creating new possibilities for monitoring and improving animal welfare at scale.
Technology offers significant promise for improving animal welfare monitoring and outcomes. Computer vision systems can analyze the gait of thousands of dairy cows continuously, identifying early signs of lameness before they become obvious, enabling earlier treatment. Accelerometers and other sensors detect behavioral changes associated with illness or distress. Automated systems can monitor environmental conditions like temperature and air quality that affect welfare. These technologies create the possibility of continuous, objective welfare monitoring at scale — a dramatic improvement over periodic human auditing. They also align welfare and production incentives by catching health problems earlier when treatment is more effective and less costly.