dAIry 4.0 2nd Press Release
dAIry 4.0 – Advanced, trustworthy AI and data solutions for individualised automated milking & feeding of dairy cows
The EU-funded dAIry 4.0 project has made significant progress in upgrading Automated Milking Systems (AMS) with cutting-edge AI, data and robotics solutions, bringing the vision of sustainable, efficient and animal-friendly dairy farming closer to reality.
In its first phase, the project successfully developed hardware and software modules that extend the capabilities of existing AMS. These modules enable precise monitoring of cow health, behaviour, milk quality and overall farm performance.
At the core of dAIry 4.0 are the advanced Animal Status Classifier and the novel Decision Support System (DSS). The Classifier’s submodules have already achieved significant progress, while additional components are developed and upgraded as part of the vision module. The milking robot is equipped with sensors and cameras to monitor various aspects of the cow that are indicators of cow welfare / health. These modules, combined with new milking parameters, precise feeding strategies and optimised gating routes, feed the Animal Status Classifier, enabling more precise and efficient cow classification. This allows the system to adjust milking, feeding, gating and milk partitioning individually for each cow. Milk quality is analysed in a few minutes using a novel mid-IR spectroscopy sensor, enabling automatic separation into different quality-based tanks. The DSS gathers data form all modules – including the Animal Status Classifier, milking, feeding, gating, milk quality analysis and simulator – as well as historical data. It provides real-time risk assessments, recommendations and notifications on cow health, miking behaviour and feed intake, allowing farmers to monitor each cow, detect illness early and act promptly. The DSS communicates with LELY’s servers through APIs.
All modules are under development, with the first versions ready for integration. Initial integration will occur in October 2025, with main results reported in December. This preliminary integration will serve as the foundation for further development until the upgraded milking robot is fully operational.
Looking ahead, dAIry 4.0 project will continue integrating all modules into a fully functional AMS system, while also developing innovative tools for simulations, data analysis and graphical representation. These capabilities will allow farmers and the food industry to make evidence-based decisions that reduce resource use, minimise environmental impact and promote sustainable dairy farming practices.
The project is a collaborative effort developed by a multi-disciplinary team and it is coordinated by CyRIC, Cyprus Research and Innovation Center Ltd, under the framework of EU’s Horizon Europe Programme. The project was launched on the 1st of October 2023, and it will run for three and a half years.
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or of the granting authority. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. This work has received funding from the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI)
Project partners: CyRIC – Cyprus Research and Innovation Centre (Cyprus), Lely Industries (Netherlands), Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona (Spain), Aristoteleio Panepistimio Thessalonikis (Greece), Technische Universität Wien (Austria), Erevnitiko Panepistimiako Institouto Systimaton Epikoinonion kai Ypologiston (Greece) and Alpes Lasers SA(Switzerland).
