Investigating ‘smart’ animal health: digital sensing and the reorganisation of healthcare in cattle farming

Digital sensor technologies enable the remote monitoring of changes in animal health conditions and welfare in farming. These technologies are presented as a convenient and efficient management solution to farmers and veterinarians as they aim to support everyday decision-making on treatments and strategies to improve animal health. In doing so, they influence the relationship between humans and animals, as well as the methods used in animal health assessment, both of which have potential consequences for human and animal health and wellbeing. 

This project focuses on the case of cattle farming in the UK and France to trace the history of the use of sensor technologies in farmed animal healthcare and investigate how digital sensing transforms healthcare practices.

The findings of this project are of critical relevance to our understandings of the opportunities and challenges of digital sensing in healthcare practices within and beyond cattle farming.