Case Study – How One Vet is Using AI Vision to Improve Animal Health

In veterinary practice sometimes the toughest challenges aren’t from the work itself, but from the constant demands of clients, colleagues, the industry, and the demands we put on ourselves.

But as AI and vision technology become more sophisticated, we're seeing a shift that is redefining what our work looks like. With AI-driven solutions handling many of the routine jobs, we can step into a new kind of practice—one that engages our customers, offers flexibility and new revenue opportunities, expands our skill sets, and creates more engaged, diverse, and sustainable workforces.

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AI Camera Technology: Moving Beyond Constant Surveillance

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As vets, we know the challenges of building relationships with clients and trying to keep tabs on what’s going on on their farms, but often we’re not there for days or weeks at a time. AI camera technology is changing the game by taking on continuous monitoring tasks which aren’t just passively recording—they’re actively analysing, detecting patterns in welfare and behaviour, looking for early-stages of illness or management mishaps, and flagging abnormalities 24/7.

This technology allows for proactive, data-backed monitoring and incisive interventions. This shift opens up a new approach to our work: filling vets in on everything that’s happening for the other 6.5 days of the week when we’re not there, allowing for more impactful engagement between vets and farmers.

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Flexibility and Work-Life Balance: Practical Implications for a More Diverse Workforce

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The flexibility that AI camera monitoring offers can’t be overstated. Traditional veterinary practice demands physical presence both in the field and in the clinic, which can limit career options for those juggling responsibilities like caregiving, vets facing illness or injury, or those who simply want a better work-life balance.

But with AI enabling in-depth, remote farm monitoring and a shift to a more consultative veterinary model, practices can embrace at least a partial step away from traditional regimented working hours - supporting vets to find better ways to balance our professional and personal lives.

For many of us, this flexibility opens doors to work arrangements that are not only more inclusive but more sustainable in the long run. It means creating a profession that fits a wider variety of lifestyles and widens participation to those who may have previously found life in practice inaccessible.

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Fostering Engagement, Reducing Burnout and Generating Revenue

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High turnover and burnout are deeply familiar challenges in our field, but embracing the new insights that camera AI technology provides is changing the way vets engage with their customers. Farmers are at the forefront of the agritech revolution and already embracing AI technology - vets are well-positioned to facilitate changes to animal health using the deep insights it provides.

A new, tech-savvy generation of vets who are integrating cutting-edge technology into their daily veterinary care are well-placed to take the lead and forge fulfilling and engaging careers, generating new revenue streams in the process. And - let’s face it – if vets don’t grab this opportunity for animal health then someone else will.

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Embracing Change for a More Sustainable Veterinary Future

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AI in cattle monitoring isn’t just about keeping up with the latest tech—it’s about real, meaningful changes to our everyday lives in veterinary practice. By actively analysing farm data 24/7, AI identifies insights that we otherwise simply couldn’t see. It allows us to work flexibly and opens new doors for consultative services; AI is helping us to reimagine what a sustainable, engaging veterinary career looks like.

As we adopt these tools, we’re not only improving animal welfare but also building a more flexible, sustainable, and valuable profession. It’s a future where veterinarians can be fully engaged without being constantly present, where we can practice in a way that fits our lifestyles, and where our profession is enriched by a wider range of perspectives and experiences. Embracing this shift could be key to solving the longstanding challenges of burnout and retention, allowing us to continue doing our work—on terms that work for us.

When it comes to dairy farming, we already know that animal welfare and productivity go hand-in-hand. Cow comfort refers to the practices, conditions and environment designed to improve the physical and mental wellbeing of dairy cows. By understanding and addressing factors that contribute to cow comfort, vets and animal health advisors can play a pivotal role in helping dairy farmers maintain healthier, more productive herds.

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The Link Between Comfort and Health

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Cows thrive in consistent, low-stress, comfortable environments. Comfort impacts every aspect of a cow’s health, from immune function to risk of disease and reproductive success. But how can we measure whether our cows are truly comfortable, and whether comfort is paying off in terms of health, welfare and productivity?

We can assess whether cows are meeting the ideal daily “time budget.” Under conditions of optimal comfort, a cow will spend approximately 12-14 hours lying down, 3-5 hours eating, and only 2-3 hours standing, walking and loafing.

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There are only 24 hours in a day; for cows in comfortable environments, 70% of this time is spent lying or feeding. Factor in ‘out of pen’ time for milking – suddenly there’s not much time left in the time budget! Cows will prioritise lying time over other behaviours as much as possible; but if comfort is compromised (e.g. by overcrowded cubicles, poor or insufficient bedding, or extended time away from the pen), they will spend more time standing or ‘perching’ (standing in a cubicle). This uses more energy, puts them at higher risk of lameness, and eats into the time budget for activities which support the immune system and benefit the cow most – feeding and lying.

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Productivity and Economic Implications of Cow Comfort

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One of the clearest connections between comfort and productivity is seen in milk yield. Studies show that each additional hour a cow spends resting can increase milk production by 1-1.5L/per cow per day. Additionally, studies have shown that cows in higher comfort environments have 15-20% lower incidences of mastitis, 10-15% improvement in conception rates and are 30-50% less likely to be culled prematurely. Comfortable, spacious cubicles, clean bedding, and optimal feed management are proven ways to improve cow lying times and, consequently, health and productivity parameters. Cubicle renovations, bedding improvements, and proper stocking densities may have upfront costs, but can pay for themselves within a few months. By analysing cow comfort and advising on improvements, vets and animal health advisors can help farmers achieve substantial productivity gains.

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How Vets Can Promote Cow Comfort on Farms

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Vets and animal health advisors are uniquely positioned to advocate for cow comfort improvements through objective assessment of cow housing and management. AHDB provide a comprehensive guide to dairy cow housing recommendations. There are some practical areas that advisors can assess to support cow comfort:

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1. Evaluate Cubicle Comfort and Design
   During herd checks, evaluate the cubicle design, cleanliness, and bedding quality. Cows prefer soft surfaces for lying, and lying times and subsequent production can increase markedly after investment in softer bedding such as sand or high-quality mattresses. Ensure cubicles are of adequate size, number and cleanliness.
2. Encourage Proper Stocking Densities
   Assess stocking density to reduce competition and bullying for resources. There should be at least 5% more cubicles than cows, but be aware if some cubicles are too small, dirty or inaccessible then they should not count towards the total!
3. Optimize Feed Management
   Work with farmers to implement feeding schedules that align with the cows' natural behaviours. The biggest drivers of feeding behaviour are delivery of fresh feed and feed push-ups, particularly during daylight hours and after milking. Optimising feeding for these times encourages dry matter intake (DMI), which can be an easy win for increasing milk yield.
4. Implement Health Monitoring Technology for Early Intervention
   These days there are many ways in which dairy cows are monitored – work with farmers to interpret the data produced, and track and analyse changes that could suggest changes in cow health and welfare and use that information. Setting time to assess cow health on an ongoing basis improves overall herd health and productivity.
5. Assess Time Budgets with Farmers
   Do you know what the time budget is on your farms? How long cows are spending out of the pen per day? What impact that is having on important behaviours such as feeding and lying, and how that affects overall health and milk yield? Measuring the time budget is the first step towards accommodating the cow's optimal daily schedule and can lead to significant improvements in both productivity and health.

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The Role of Vets in Driving Positive Change

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As vets and animal health advisors, we are trusted aides to dairy farmers, and our insights are important factors in management decisions. By advocating for improved cow comfort, we help farmers build healthier herds, increase productivity, and create more sustainable, profitable dairy operations.

Through regular check-ins, bespoke recommendations, and objective, evidence-based improvements to cow comfort, meaningful changes can be made to welfare and profitability - one comfortable cow at a time.