Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding toured the new DAT-AI-LAB at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine (Penn Vet) New Bolton Center. The first-of-its-kind laboratory dedicated to monitoring animal behavior using artificial intelligence, officially opened today with $31,000 in grant support from the nation’s first Agricultural Innovation Grant Program, and a $90,000 grant from Pennsylvania’s Center for Poultry and Livestock Excellence.
The new, state-of-the-art lab, a collaboration among Penn Vet researchers and Pennsylvania-based AgriGates, will accelerate collection and analysis of animal behavior data to help veterinarians and farmers precisely target treatments, improving animal health and increasing farm profitability.
“The technology in this new, state-of-the-art lab at the New Bolton Center is already serving as a powerful tool to monitor animal health and speed up intervention when speed counts most to protect livestock and a farmer’s operation, and we hope more farmers will benefit from it,” said Sec. Redding.
One of 88 projects funded in the first $10 million round of Ag Innovation Grants, the state-of-the-art DAT-AI-LAB will provide a physical location to house data infrastructure and foster collaboration among Penn Vet researchers and AgriGates analysts. The lab enhances capabilities of the New Bolton Center, one of four labs in the Pennsylvania Animal Diagnostic Laboratory System, expanded earlier this year with a $6 million investment from the Commonwealth.
The DAT-AI-LAB lab provides solutions to specific challenges veterinarians and farmers face in the early detection of livestock health conditions that may require measures like quarantine, dietary adjustment, or medical treatment — ultimately resulting in healthier animals, and preventing more expensive interventions and costly downtime and losses.
“The DAT-AI-LAB represents a major step forward for Pennsylvania agriculture and veterinary innovation,” AgriGates Co-Founder and CEO Daniel Foy said. “By bringing together animal science, artificial intelligence, engineering and real-world farm systems, we are building tools that help farmers and veterinarians detect health and welfare challenges earlier, improve decision-making, and strengthen the long-term resilience of livestock agriculture. We are proud to help position Pennsylvania as a national leader in livestock AI and behavioral intelligence.”
“Animal agriculture, at more than 70% of farm-gate cash receipts in the Commonwealth, equates to opportunity for AI to optimize on-farm decisions concerning machinery, workforce, precision inputs, and for the animals, their husbandry, health, and wellbeing,” University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine Dean Andrew Hoffman said.”
