21st-century Farmers Buy Data Analysis Software Before Breeding Cows
Fujitsu receives a request
One day, Fujitsu, a Japanese technology company, received a request from dairy farmers to develop a software that can improve the job of breeding cows. The farmers did not know exactly how the technology would help but they definitely knew it would in some way… and they were correct.
Fujitsu finds a solution
Fujitsu’s solution was utterly simple. First, cows were fitted with pedometers. Secondly, their footsteps were observed. Lastly, this data was analysed. That’s it? Yes, however, the last step — data analysis — led to unbelievable findings. These findings did not only make the job of breeding cows easier, but also allowed farmers to breed a larger number of cows, shape the mix of cows and bulls according to their needs, and more.
First finding from data analysis
Estrus, the period of sexual receptivity and fertility when cows can be successfully artificially inseminated, lasts for only 12 to 18 hours every three weeks. Obviously, it had been extremely difficult, or nearly impossible, for a farmer to monitor all of his cows and identify such a short timeframe for each cow. Fortunately, the data analysis of observed cows’ footsteps revealed that this period — Estrus — was followed by an abrupt increase in the number of steps per hour. The accuracy of this signal was found to be 95%. Moving forward, Fujitsu created a system that would send a farmer a text alert whenever this signal is detected from any of his cows.
Analysing cows’ footsteps guaranteed uninterrupted milk production and hence maximised per capita output for farms. This analysis allowed farmers to expand their herds as they no longer needed to use their labour to manually monitor their cows. In short, this single finding changed the cow breeding industry. That’s how powerful technology is, data is and, more specifically, the act of analysing data is.
Second finding from data analysis
Furthermore, Fujitsu researchers were able to conclude another finding: artificial insemination that is performed in the first four hours after the detection of increasing per-hour footsteps results in a 70% probability of conceiving a female calf. If it is done in the second four hours, a male calf is highly likely to be conceived. This another single finding enabled a farmer to control the ratio of cows and bulls in his herd according to his needs.
Let’s do the math
There are approximately 2 million farms in the United States. Let’s make a conservative guess that 50% of these farms breed cows. This means that the two findings which Fujitsu obtained through data analysis influence an estimate of 1 million farms only in the United States. There are approximately 570 million farms in the world. You can do the math.
Conclusion
I would like to end today’s article with an excerpt on page 91 from “Thank You for Being Late” by Thomas Friedman.
Everything that is analog is now being digitized, everything that is being digitized is now being stored, everything that is being stored is now being analyzed.
