Big data is ready for the farm. But is the farm ready for big data?

84 percent of U.S. farmers who responded to a recent Stratus Ag Research survey said they have high-tech equipment that captures reams of data from livestock, planting, harvesting or crop protection operations. Yet, only 42 percent of them are transferring this information to a field data management software program for further analysis. 

The question is: How can producers harness all of this information to drive efficiency and profitability once it has been collected?

KEENAN, a technological entrepreneur of diet feeders, stepped up to this challenge by expanding into farm data analysis with InTouch technology, which delivers solutions on-farm in real time.

“We've been involved with the internet of things (IoT) since about 2011,” said Conan Condon, director of KEENAN’s InTouch system. “At that stage, there wasn't much connectivity. There were about 12 million connected devices. Today, there are about 6.4 billion connected devices.” 

At present, more than 2,000 livestock operations, ranging in size from tens to thousands of cows, use the InTouch system, a live review and support service that helps producers apply actionable intelligence to their operations, giving them the benefit of KEENAN’s access to data on more than 1.3 million monitored cows.

InTouch technology: Acting on data today

KEENAN InTouch is a simple, cloud-based communications platform that offers real-time performance monitoring. The system allows for all feed ingredients to be added to the diet feeder in consistent orders and ratios, thereby promoting feeding consistency and improving livestock performance and profitability.  

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Producers are looking for easy alternatives to interpreting and actioning data. InTouch supports that process, as data is automatically transferred and received after completion of every load. Not only are paperwork and time delays eliminated, but the InTouch platform also allows for instant feedback. This means that producers can make informed decisions on maintaining and/or improving ration accuracy, consistency and presentation, thereby maximizing livestock performance. InTouch can also incorporate data from other herd management software programs and services such as the Dairy Herd Improvement Association, resulting in better quality analysis. 

Convenience is also a key feature of InTouch. Ration changes can be made from a computer or smartphone, through the InTouch customer service center or programmed directly to the KEENAN diet feeder. Nutritionists can also send ration changes directly to the weigh scale on the diet feeder.

The pre-self-loading order and mixing time takes the guesswork out of loading accuracy, suggesting a mixing order based on type, length of cut and moisture levels of the ingredients. It also calculates the required number of mixing revolutions needed to maximize effective fiber and delivers a consistent, uniform mix, based on 17 years of data gathered from farms all around the world.

To maximize profits for producers, InTouch’s support services help them monitor everything from feed costs and diet feeder performance to proper inclusion rate accuracy in order to maximize profits. Daily, monthly and annual performance reports for feed efficiency, the cost to produce 100 pounds of milk, profit margin per cow and production trends are automatically produced. This means no more combing through data or handwritten notes to find patterns that might unlock efficiency — using InTouch, farm consultants can generate benchmark summary reports that can reveal management practices to improve livestock performance and profitability.

The MechFiber difference

Based on years of data from more than 1 million cows, KEENAN has developed a range of products tailored to the needs of farmers, including reel, self-propelled, vertical and static machines for small- to medium-sized farms and pro-mixers for high-volume feed manufacturing and larger farms. These machines are designed to improve rumen health, resulting in improved feed efficiency and livestock production.

They are durable and easy to maintain, with a low daily operating cost and stationary blades for controlled chopping. They have a simple drive system, with no gearbox required and they empty completely, so no ration ingredients intended for one group of animals are fed to another.

Each diet feeder has two chambers (mixing and dispensing) and, together with a six-paddle reel and patented fixed-knives system, is engineered to produce a consistent, uniform, fluffy mix called MechFiber, which is unique to KEENAN machines.

Independent trials have consistently shown that MechFiber retains the fiber structure needed to stimulate rumination, allowing greater absorption of energy and maximizing feed conversion efficiency.

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KEENAN diet feeders produce consistent rations from as little as five percent capacity up to 22,000 pounds. They easily handle and deliver a consistent, uniform mix for smaller dry cows, post-fresh cows and heifer groups. KEENAN customers can purchase separate ingredients to prepare their own premixes.  

Additionally, the low-power requirement design saves up to 50 percent in fuel consumption and reduces tractor and KEENAN diet feeder maintenance costs. Larger, more expensive tractors are not required compared to equivalent capacity vertical mixers, as a 120-horsepower tractor will operate a 1,000-cubic-foot diet feeder at recommended speeds of 1,200–1,500 revolutions per minute.

KEENAN started manufacturing quality diet feeders with cutting-edge designs and technology in 1978. In 2016, Alltech acquired KEENAN and is re-establishing the diet feeder in the U.S. market with a fresh approach to innovation that builds on KEENAN’s strong reputation for quality and performance.

Manufactured in Borris, County Carlow in Ireland, KEENAN products are available for purchase in the U.S. For more information about KEENAN, visit www.keenansystem.com. 

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Last year’s participants generated more than $50 million in new qualified sales leads across 28 international markets

[DUNBOYNE, Ireland] – Following a highly successful first year, Alltech will select another cohort from across the world to participate in The Pearse Lyons Accelerator, a unique global accelerator backed by Irish entrepreneur Dr. Pearse Lyons. The three-month program will be hosted at Ireland’s leading startup hub, Dogpatch Labs, and will conclude on the main stage at ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference, where startups will have the unique opportunity to present to more than 4,000 attendees and some of the premier thought leaders in the world.

Last year’s startups collectively added $50 million in new qualified sales leads across 28 international markets by the end of the accelerator. Last month, seven of the 10 startups were featured by CB Insights* in “Agtech: 100+ Technology Companies Changing The Farm,” illustrating the quality of the startups involved. The accelerator was described as “by far streets ahead of any ag-tech accelerator out there,” according to Gary Wickham, CEO of MagGrow, one of the participants in the 2017 accelerator. Since completing the accelerator last year, Hargol FoodTech won WeWork’s The Creator Award, six international innovation competitions as well as closing a $2.5M round of funding.

Activity in ag-tech continues to grow, with startups raising more than $4.4 billion in the first half of 2017 alone, according to the AgFunder AgriFood Tech Investing Report, in no small part due to an ever-increasing global population. The latest forecast from the Population Division of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs predicts that between now and the close of the century, our global population will increase from 7.6 billion to more than 11 billion people. The question of where our food comes from and how we produce it is becoming more and more pressing.

“Alltech’s roots are in entrepreneurial innovation, and as a global industry leader, we are well-positioned to open doors for the next generation of industry disruptors,” said Dr. Lyons. “It is essential to empower the next generation of ag-tech entrepreneurs who are pioneering for a sustainable future.”

In its first year, The Pearse Lyons Accelerator received 183 applications from 38 countries across six continents, and the startups selected for the 2017 cohort hailed from eight different countries with an average funding of $3.5 million each and $35 million collectively.

The startups had direct access to the founder and management of Alltech as well as the ability to drive business development through Alltech’s global network. The program culminated at ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference, where the startups pitched to leading agri-business leaders, high-profile investors and the press. The startups shared the stage with thought leaders such as Peter Diamandis, founder and executive chairman of the XPRIZE Foundation and co-founder of Singularity University, and George Blankenship, former executive at Tesla Motors, Apple Computer and GAP Inc.

A clear route to market remains a challenge in the industry, and this programme seeks to accelerate startups’ access to this global market, with a comprehensive package of support to help them navigate the challenge of scaling their operations to service large corporate customers.

“Last year saw some amazing outcomes for the participating startups,” said Patrick Walsh, managing director of Dogpatch Labs. “We’re excited to welcome a new cohort from across the world. This program focuses on a unique environment for the accelerator applicants to drive sales and secure investment as well as mentoring and resources for founders through our connection to the startup ecosystem.”

The deadline for applications to The Pearse Lyons Accelerator program will close on Dec. 22, 2017.