Data, decision-making and demand: The importance of education and training opportunities with precision livestock farming technologies for Australian producers

Agriculture is Australia’s fastest growing sector, driven largely by increased commodity prices over the past decade. To take advantage of the opportunities the digital disruption presents, stakeholders along the agricultural supply chain must be confident and capable to implement practice change in their business. To benefit from the digital revolution of agriculture, livestock producers need to consider the adoption of new and emerging precision livestock farming (PLF) technologies to unlock productivity and efficiency gains. Current use of PLF technologies in Australia’s livestock sector is low, with future economic, sustainability and animal welfare benefits achievable through more widespread adoption. Livestock Technology Workshops for producers were conducted in Central Queensland, Australia, with the aim to assist participants through the impact of the digital disruption in the agricultural industry and help them to transition and adopt new practices. To allow participants to hear and learn from their peers, a series of questions were asked to stimulate discussion on current use of technology and intended future application within their livestock enterprise. Feedback on future training demands and skills gaps was also sought from participants. Results demonstrate the desire of workshop participants to increase their knowledge and skills in data collection and data-driven management decision-making. Additionally, there was a demand for future workshops that assist with the analysis of their own data and training with specific agricultural technology tools and systems. There is an opportunity for government, industry and private business to invest in technology skills training at many key points throughout an individual’s career pathway from high school to higher education and once they are in the workforce. High quality training is essential to ensure the current and future agricultural workforce have the required digital capabilities to confidently use data and technology to improve the productivity, profitability and sustainability of their business.