New Zealand farmers using AI to manage their animals Artificial Intelligence Research

A New Zealand made mobile app is being used by local dairy farmers to replace veterinarians. Available on the App Store, the Betty app uses machine learning algorithms to help dairy farmers diagnose sick cows in their herd. Farmers using the app are presented with series of questions, with the response combined with regional farm and weather data to produce a list of the most likely causes of disease in their animals. Betty's creator, Dr. Jonathan Wong, said the idea was born out of frustration, while he was working as a dairy veterinarian. "There are a lot of farmers out there who are reluctant to call a vet early, especially if a problem is perceived to be minor. With Betty we can help farmers decide whether or not their sick cow is an emergency and to take immediate action, or connect them with a local vet if need be."