Wedoany.com Report-Oct. 23, Researchers at Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) have developed a world-first “digital twin” for dairy farming, combining live data and artificial intelligence to help farmers predict issues before they arise. The platform, called farm-twin, was created at SRUC’s Dairy Research Centre near Dumfries and is designed to transform dairy farm management.

The project is funded by the Digital Dairy Chain under SRUC’s UKRI Strength in Places programme. It explores how real-time data and digital modelling can enhance productivity, animal health, and sustainability. A digital twin is a virtual representation of an entire farm system, including cows, feed, buildings, and equipment, generated using data from sensors, telemetry, and digital tools.

Farm-twin integrates multiple data streams into a single platform, providing farmers with a comprehensive view of their operations through intuitive dashboards. The system also supports predictive analytics, identifying early signs of health issues or declines in productivity. For example, if milk yields decrease and behavioural data indicate potential illness, the platform can automatically flag the cow for attention and even trigger gates to isolate the animal while notifying the farmer.

Dr Mazdak Salavati, data scientist at SRUC’s Dairy Research and Innovation Centre, said: “The real power of farm data lies in combining different sources to uncover insights that a single system alone can't provide, and with farm-twin, we’re enabling exactly that. Farm-twin addresses this challenge head-on by aggregating data from a wide range of technologies into a single, unified platform.”

Beyond monitoring and alerts, farm-twin can simulate various farm conditions, allowing producers to test management strategies and make informed, data-driven decisions that enhance efficiency and animal welfare. Dr Matt Broadbent, agri-tech scientist at SRUC, emphasized the platform’s open-source design: “We believe open-source is the future of agri-tech. It ensures transparency, fosters innovation, and lowers the barriers for adoption across the industry.”

Farm-twin is scalable from small farms to large commercial dairies, compatible with older systems, and able to incorporate historical data. Researchers and developers can adapt the platform for new technologies and applications, ensuring long-term flexibility and industry relevance.

Professor Wayne Powell, principal and chief executive of SRUC, said: “With innovations like farm-twin, we are transforming dairy production systems and positioning the sector as a global leader in sustainable, data-driven agriculture. This open-source platform will support entrepreneurship, drive new market opportunities, and equip the workforce with vital digital skills while accelerating our journey toward a more productive, resilient, and sustainable future.”

Overall, farm-twin represents a major advancement in agri-tech, enabling farmers to optimize operations, safeguard animal welfare, and improve sustainability through integrated data and predictive insights.