Nikon Corporation has unveiled a novel artificial intelligence (AI) system that can anticipate when cows will give birth, giving farmers a high-tech tool to increase productivity when handling their herd. This month, the technology will be made available in Japan. It uses cameras that are deployed on farms to track the movements of pregnant cows. Farmers receive timely alerts via a dedicated smartphone application.

A thorough examination of a pregnant cow’s behavior, particularly in the crucial hours leading up to delivery, is necessary for the AI system that Nikon developed. Important markers are movements that become more pronounced and the beginning of the amniotic sac’s release, which can be seen around five hours before birth. Nikon hopes to reduce the workload for farmers who typically check on pregnant cows on a weekly basis in the weeks leading up to delivery by utilizing image analysis technologies.

Field Testing and Insights

It was not an overnight development for this technology. In order to train the AI, Nikon started gathering data in the fall of 2021. In February 2023, the company conducted proof-of-concept trials on four farms in Kumamoto Prefecture, southwest Japan. Keita Higuchi, a sheep farmer in her mid-30s, was one of the farmers who took part in the experiments and observed notable advantages

Higuchi acknowledged his happiness, noting, “We birth about 60 calves per year, and had to monitor the moms every few hours from around a month before they are due. This system has really helped.”

Expense and Availability
Despite the fact that the technology is expected to transform agriculture forever, a farm with 100 cows would have to pay about 900,000 yen ($6,200) a year for it. For many in the agricultural industry, it may be worth it despite the initial expenditure due to the possible advantages in efficiency and better animal care.

Upcoming Uses

Here is not where Nikon will stop. At a press conference in December, Nikon executive Kazuhiro Hirano outlined the company’s strategy. In the future, he said, “we want to be able to detect when a female cow is in heat and other behavioral patterns.” He underlined the intention to increase the system’s capabilities.

This suggests that Nikon’s AI system has a wider application and that it may be crucial for managing cattle in ways other than just forecasting births. The possibility of new features and advancements as technology advances may further solidify the system’s position in modern agriculture.

An important advancement in the fusion of technology and agriculture has been made with Nikon’s creative AI system. Farmers may optimize their operations, lessen animal discomfort, and eventually increase overall productivity by using artificial intelligence to detect when cows are about to give birth. With increased accessibility to this technology, the global norms for effective and compassionate cattle management may be redefined.