“Precision agriculture, such as this milking system, is revolutionizing farming, and our college is in the forefront of that movement in the state,” said Mohamed Ahmedna, dean of the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences (CAES). “Our college has been working very intentionally on developing our capacity to provide training and research on precision techniques to improve farmers’ lives and boost the state’s $103 billion agriculture industry.”
The system, the latest piece of digital technology to come to N.C. A&T, brings the University Dairy – the only dairy in the country at a historically Black college or university – online with an artificial intelligence-based system that benefits animals, dairy producers, researchers and students alike.
Visitors also got a tour of youngstock, mature animal nutrition and pasture management and a question-and-answer session with milk and ice cream.
The system provides much more than optimal cow comfort, said Lauren Mayo, Ph.D., research assistant professor in the Department of Animal Sciences. The data stream allows dairy workers to manage the herd’s nutrition and health more efficiently than they could otherwise, and the automation allows them to solve one of the industry’s most vexing problems: labor shortages.
“It’s sort of like a spa for our cows,” said Mayo. “They can come in, get taken care of any time they like, and move on.
“This system also provides a huge advantage for our students, so that we can give them advanced experiential learning with precision technologies so that they can secure careers in the dairy industry, the fastest growing in careers within the livestock industry. It will allow students to investigate individual animal health, nutrition, and reproduction using Big Data gained from the system.”
The introduction of the Automated Milking System Is the next step in technological advances at the 492-acre University Farm and in the college, Ahmedna said. This year, the CAES research portfolio nearly topped $40 million, with such major new initiatives as the $18.1 million NextGen grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which is designed to grow students’ awareness and participation in agriculture; and the $13 million Urban and Community Food Complex, a part-business incubator, part research facility, set to begin construction this fall.
“Tech is a way to bring youth, who are more tech-savvy, into agriculture and choose it for a major to support our state’s agriculture industry,” Ahmedna said. “As the largest HBCU college of agriculture in the nation, we have a responsibility to be that driver.”
As attendees asked questions, the cow turned to inspect the group, curiously watching those watching her.
“I’m a technical person,” said N.C. Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “I want to really know how every part of the machinery works, because this is going to be huge for the dairy industry in North Carolina.”
Gregory Goins, Ph.D., CAES associate dean for research, noted the new chapter in the University Farm’s story that is unfolding.
“We’re using this piece of technology to conduct research and train our students in ways that will provide a major return on investment for the citizens of North Carolina,” he said. “I’m glad that this represents our first push to make A&T the ‘farm of the future.’”
Cooperative Extension Administration M. Ray McKinnie, Ph.D., pointed to two A&T dairy innovators, William L. Kennedy, Ph.D., and Robert “Bob” L. Wynne.
“These pioneers worked tirelessly to assist the college in building a premiere dairy science program and operation,” McKinnie said. “As A&T marks another milestone in dairy science, we stand in their shadow today.”
Source : ncat.edu