Information needs and information technology on dairy farms
Investment in information technology (IT) enables the farmer to collect and process data at farm and animal level to be used in decision making. In order to evaluate the currently available IT applications it is essential to determine in what way IT will support information needs. A methodology was presented that was based on system decomposition principles which made a formal analysis possible. When evaluating an automated concentrate feeder, processes related to the function of nutrition are important. In the case of activity measurement the evaluation should include at least the function reproduction and in the case of electrical conductivity of quarter milk the function health care. Milk temperature measurement supports two functions, namely reproduction and health care, while milk production measurement supports a wide range of processes in different functions.
information technology system decomposition dairy cattle delphi study