Artificial Intelligence for Artificial Insemination (AI4AI) technology standardising semen quality assurance across the supply chain, raising conception rates and reducing green-house emissions.

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Innovate UK
Innovate UK

£1,151,018

Nov. 1, 2021

July 30, 2023

Dyneval brings to the market a precision technology for monitoring semen quality at any stage of the livestock reproduction process from production by the bull, boar or ram through to artificial insemination in the cow, sow or ewe. Through measurements on a sacrificial straw, farmers will use our artificial intelligence technology to optimise conception rates and eliminate semen that is suboptimal or has been damaged through damage during processing, an insecure cold chain during distribution or storage on farm. Experimental development through this project will enable us to convert our 1st Generation Product (TRL6) to create a robust, lightweight, ergonomic tool, tailored for use on the farm. Long-term, reliable data with predictive capability will improve decision making for artificial insemination. Data will be stored on the cloud for retrieval, data mining and integration with other farming data systems.

For cattle, today's conception rates are 20% lower than they were 40 years ago resulting in a suboptimal calving interval that costs farmers €2bn each year across Europe (equivalent to £25k per farm). Dairy cows are estimated to contribute about 20% of total UK atmospheric methane emissions and 25% of total UK ammonia emissions. According to P.C. Garnsworthy (Animal Feed Science and Technology, 112, 211-223, 2004) total herd emissions can be reduced by 20% if conception rates are improved from current levels ~38% to achievable and optimal ~65% (a difference of 27%). Livestock farming contributes 15% of the total global carbon emissions. Deployed globally, our technology has the potential to help farmers reduce global carbon emissions down to 12% and this would be a significant step to helping food production systems reach net zero by 2040 whilst providing sufficient protein for a growing global population.

Through eliminating poor quality semen from their batches for artificial insemination, farmers will produce food more efficiently, improve their profitability and resilience on farm and will be able to meet the sustainability goals set by cooperative buyers and supermarkets to help food producers meet their goals for net zero emissions.