- Marks & Spencer (M&S) became the first retailer to implement AI-powered welfare monitoring across its 46 British dairy farms.
- The technology uses existing parlor cameras and algorithms, trained by veterinarians, to enhance regular in-person welfare checks.
- M&S stated the initiative is part of its Plan A for Farming, aiming to uphold animal welfare and support British farmers.
LONDON, United Kingdom — Marks & Spencer (M&S) has introduced artificial intelligence (AI) tools to monitor animal welfare across its entire network of 46 British dairy farms. The retailer stated it is the first to deploy such technology on this scale.
The company said in an emailed press release today that the innovative system uses cameras already installed in dairy parlors. These cameras capture footage of dairy cows when they are indoors.
Technology Details
The AI tools analyze footage using algorithms trained alongside veterinarians. This process monitors the welfare of dairy cows in real time. The technology uses AI-powered video analytics to build individual health profiles for each animal. It tracks mobility and body condition scoring over time.
The tools monitor cow behavior, including lying time, feeding time, social interactions, and mobility. This data generates a “cow comfort score,” which supports veterinarians in assessing individual cow health. Terry Canning, CEO of Cattle Eye, noted that changes in body condition are early indicators of metabolic health, fertility, and overall wellbeing. He added that tracking these changes more regularly provides farmers with previously unavailable insights.
Impact on Welfare
The daily monitoring enhances regular, in-person welfare checks by independent veterinarians. Trials at M&S dairy farms showed farmers used the technology to tailor care to individual cow needs. Farmers made changes to bedding for individual cows to improve comfort based on size and shape. Feeding schedules were adapted to reduce standing time, and some stall designs were modified for better cow comfort.
Peter Kennedy, Head of Agriculture at M&S Food, stated that the AI-powered monitoring supports farmers in providing optimal care for dairy cows. Jenny Allan, Map of Ag Veterinary consultant, added that AI technology will enable real-time cow comfort and health parameters to be monitored, providing valuable insights across the 46 farms.
Broader Initiative
This initiative is part of M&S’s Plan A for Farming, which aims to uphold industry-leading animal welfare and support British farmers. M&S has invested more than £7 million over the last decade in agricultural innovation. An additional £7 million is available over the next five years. Previous innovations include trials of upgraded milking parlor flooring, methane measurement from Aberdeen Angus cows, and technology for farming parsnips.
M&S sources 100% of its milk from 46 British dairy farmers in its Select Farm milk pool.