FUNAAB Holds Workshop on Robotic Ranching to Boost Cattle Production

News in brief:

-FUNAAB organised a workshop exploring robotic ranching and intelligent feeding systems to improve cattle production.

-Researchers highlighted the role of Tertiary Education Trust Fund-supported research in advancing smart livestock technologies in Nigeria.

Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) hosted a workshop aimed at advancing cattle production in Nigeria through robotic ranching systems and intelligent feeding technologies.

The workshop, sponsored by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) under its National Research Fund initiative, was held at the Centre of Excellence in Agricultural Development and Sustainable Environment conference facility and attracted researchers and stakeholders from across the university.

Experts Highlight Challenges in Livestock Farming

Welcoming participants, the Principal Investigator, Olufunke Vincent, said the workshop created a platform to address major challenges confronting Nigeria’s livestock sector.

She identified issues such as inefficient feeding systems, inadequate livestock monitoring, labour shortages, climate variability and rising production costs as key concerns affecting cattle production.

Vincent also noted that conflicts linked to open grazing practices have further underscored the need for innovative and sustainable livestock management approaches.

According to her, emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things, robotics and data analytics are transforming agriculture and providing practical solutions for improved livestock monitoring and feeding systems.

A Transformative Approach

Delivering a lecture titled Robotic Ranching System: An Intelligent Feeding Mechanism for Enhanced Cattle Production in Nigeria,** Bamidele Oluwatosin described the project as a transformative approach to modern livestock management.

She explained that livestock systems such as ranching, feedlot operations and zero grazing are increasingly gaining relevance as Nigeria seeks more efficient and sustainable cattle production models.

Also speaking, the Director of the Institute of Food Security, Environmental Resources and Agricultural Research at FUNAAB, Kazeem Bello, emphasised the importance of adopting modern monitoring technologies in livestock farming.

He highlighted the potential of Radio Frequency Identification technology to improve livestock tracking, strengthen herd management and reduce conflicts between farmers and herders.

Participants at the workshop commended the initiative and called for stronger interdisciplinary collaboration among researchers to accelerate innovation and promote sustainable agricultural development in Nigeria.