Agriculture

In a growing number of mixed farms, solar-powered monitoring towers are being used to observe how sheep and cattle feed throughout the day. What began as an experiment in combining renewable energy and smart surveillance has now evolved into a valuable management tool for livestock nutrition.

These towers, equipped with high-resolution cameras and artificial intelligence software, analyze animal behavior automatically. By recognizing feeding times, grouping behavior, and movement around feeding areas, the system helps farmers detect irregularities such as reduced appetite or competition for resources.

The collected footage and data are transmitted to cloud platforms, where farmers and researchers can review long-term feeding trends. With solar energy providing sustainable power, the system runs autonomously in isolated grazing fields, requiring minimal human intervention.

Experts say this approach contributes to more sustainable livestock practices by balancing animal welfare, efficient resource use, and low-carbon technology. Farmers participating in early trials have noted that “the data helps us make decisions based on facts, not just observation.”