US researchers develop AI tool to assess livestock feed losses

USA – Researchers working with the National Animal Nutrition Program (NANP) are developing an AI-based tool to help livestock producers identify risks that could reduce feed quantity or nutritional value during harvesting, storage, handling, and feeding.

The Feed Value Loss Risk Assessment Tool combines research, expert knowledge and machine learning to assess management practices and highlight areas where feed losses may occur. 

The project involves Hector Menendez, an assistant professor and South Dakota State University Extension livestock grazing specialist, along with Jordan M. Adams, Julia T. Silva, Karun Kaniyamattam, and Luis O. Tedeschi.

The application uses a Random Forest machine-learning model to evaluate multiple management factors and estimate the relative risk of feed value loss. 

The tool focuses first on silage, while also covering hay and grain management.

Producers enter information about their practices across different stages of feed management, including harvesting, storage, processing, mixing, delivery and feed bunk management. 

They can then adjust selected conditions to compare how alternative practices affect their risk assessment.

The resulting score indicates relative risk rather than the actual quantity or percentage of feed lost.

A higher score signals that the conditions entered may be associated with a greater risk of losing feed or nutritional value.

Feed losses can increase production costs and reduce the nutrients available to livestock.

Identifying weaknesses in storage, handling, and feeding practices can help producers use harvested forage and purchased feed more effectively, supporting more efficient livestock production.

The tool is intended to support, rather than replace, farm-level expertise.

Producers can consult the NANP Feed Management Committee, agricultural Extension staff, Natural Resources Conservation Service professionals and livestock nutrition specialists to interpret results and identify appropriate management changes.

The initiative reflects efforts to apply digital technologies to practical feed management challenges, where maintaining feed quality and limiting waste can influence production costs and animal performance.

The application’s development and evaluation are ongoing. Further assessment will be important in determining how reliably its risk estimates reflect real-world feed losses and how effectively producers can use the results to improve management decisions.

NANP provides additional feed management resources, including technical information and decision-support materials, through its website and Feed Management Committee.

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