CIEL and Industry Member Antler Bio have secured a Smart Grant, awarded by Innovate UK, the UK’s innovation agency, to support the next stage development of a precision herd screening tool for the dairy sector.

The innovative project – EPIHERD – will enable farmers to tailor their farming system to suit the genetic make-up of their herd, using epigenomics and sophisticated data analysis, with the aim of improving the productivity, sustainability and efficiency of their business.

The Smart Grant funding will support the development an artificial intelligence (AI)-platform which will provide farmers with information on the prominence of specific genes that can be influenced by environmental factors: In essence, monitoring gene expression within a herd.

Using the genetic data provided through this platform, farmers will be able to alter factors within their control, such as rations or housing environment in response to information provided, which in turn has the potential to lead to improved productivity.

CIEL’s role in the project is to support Antler Bio by using its networks to ‘stress test’ the technology, working with farmers and industry to develop a user-friendly digital platform and take the technology from concept into practical use.

For more information, please contact CIEL Project Lead nikki.dalby@cielivestock.co.uk.