The problem
The beef industry is facing significant challenges, with about 50% of carcasses failing to meet optimal specifications. For finishing units producing 300 animals annually, this equates to a loss of around £11,400, contributing to over £70 million in losses across the UK. Additionally, keeping animals on the farm too long results in over-fat animals, which increases processing costs for abattoirs and has a higher environmental impact per kilogram.
Our technology
The Opti-beef project, initiated in May 2019, has been dedicated to addressing these issues. Over its four-year duration, we aimed to create an enhanced decision support system that integrates on-farm whole-life performance monitoring with detailed carcass measurements from precision agriculture technology. Designed for deployment both on-farm and in-abattoirs, the project successfully developed new on-farm technologies for individual animal monitoring, innovative parameter extraction algorithms for both live animal and carcass images, precise grading prediction models, and user-friendly on-farm and abattoir data platforms.
Commercialisation
We are excited to launch our Opti-beef technology early next year! Our advanced technological system will first deliver precise carcass assessments and accurate meat yield predictions, enabling producers to define carcass value with extremely high accuracy.
Further updates will incorporate 3D imaging of live animals with predictive analytics to transform commercial animal procurement. This innovative technology will empower producers with critical data for enhanced genetic selection and livestock management, ultimately driving productivity and profitability across the industry.
If you are interested in finding out more, please contact info@itlscotland.co.uk
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