OMAHA (DTN) -- While most in livestock production see AI and think artificial insemination, another AI might be changing how producers manage livestock. Researchers at the University of Illinois are beginning to study how artificial intelligence (AI) could make grazing more efficient.

By utilizing this technology, livestock producers could improve many aspects of grazing, including improved animal health, animal welfare, environmental sustainability and keeping grazing systems profitable.

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In a webinar last week, Isabella Condotta, an assistant professor of animal science at the University of Illinois, discussed some of the research her team is doing in the realm of AI in livestock production (https://www.youtube.com/...). An increasing world population is pushing researchers to attempt to increase productivity as global animal product consumption increases.

The first step of precision management is monitoring, and this requires the use of many different sensors.

Both wearable and unwearable sensors allow researchers to see animal responses to their environment and these reactions create algorithms. Wearable sensors include collars, ear tags, nosebands, tail rings and leg straps. Unwearable sensors would be cameras and microphones.

"You can't manage what you can't measure," Condotta said.

Information about animal behavior as well as health and wellbeing of livestock can be valuable to producers. The data from the sensors need to be analyzed and this is where AI can help, she said.