Are Artificial Intelligence Agents Ready To Be Your On-Farm Advisors?

It feels like there is an AI agent or support chatbot everywhere we look these days. Are on-farm advisory services next? Dive into this month's article by Daphne Van Delst for a review of some new research and surprising statistics.

Key Takeaways

• AI is becoming more common in customer service and farm advising, but many people still want to speak with a real person when they need help.

• AI can be useful, but it still makes mistakes and does not always understand complicated, real-life situations.

• People may use AI often without fully trusting it, especially when it comes to privacy, accuracy, and important decisions.

• Good farm advice is about more than sharing information. It also requires trust, experience, good questions, and an understanding of each farm’s situation.

What Are We Reading This Month?

Cost-benefit analysis of feeding market dairy cows prior to slaughter compared to shipping direct

In a nutshell: Dairy cows sent for slaughter often arrive in poor body condition, which can create welfare concerns and reduce sale value. This study looked at whether keeping these cows on farm and feeding them for 60 days before shipping could be financially worthwhile. Results showed that improving a cow’s body condition score from 2.0 to 3.0 could increase sale value by about $664 CAD, although feed and management costs would reduce net profit. Overall, the approach could improve both cow welfare and farm returns in some situations, but producers must consider whether they have the space, feed, labour, and management capacity to keep cull cows longer.

Real-World Resources

Podcast
What’s the Value of a Code of Practice?

This episode of NFACC Conversations explores the value of Canada’s Codes of Practice for farmers and takes a closer look at the updated beef cattle Code, which recently completed it’s public comment period. Guests Matt Bowman, Dr. Mike Jelenski, and Dr. Karen Genswein share perspectives from farming, veterinary medicine, and research, drawing on their roles in the Code’s development.

Hosted and produced by ACER Consulting, the conversation explains how the Code update process works and why these standards matter to the Canadian beef sector.