Description
“Big data” is a real buzz-phrase of the last ten years, and the concept of the value of data (and the decisions which can be based on it) has become increasingly pervasive across industry and society. Big data is commonly defined using the idea of the “four Vs” (volume, veracity, velocity and variety), although more recently a number of broader definitions have also become popular; there is now considerable overlap with the general concept of data-driven decision making. In fact, the basic idea of using data to inform decision making on dairy farms has been around for some time, and in many ways the dairy industry has been an early adopter of a number of big data concepts. For example, while the term “precision farming” is usually considered to have originated from arable farming, robot milking systems were gaining popularity on dairy units before the majority of precision farming techniques were widely used in the cereals sector. This talk will explore the concepts of big data, describe the ways in which big data can add value to a farm business, and discuss the potential role of the cattle vet now and in the future in ensuring farmers, cows and vets all benefit from the big data revolution.
