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AI transforms livestock farming

Karl Harenbrock
April 24, 2026

A premature foal survives because an AI camera detected a critical emergency. The same technology spots colic in horses and lameness in cows — reshaping modern livestock care.

https://p.dw.com/p/5CKcV

Artificial intelligence is increasingly transforming livestock farming. In a German stable, an AI‑supported camera system helped save the life of a premature thoroughbred foal by recognizing complications during birth and triggering an alert in real time.

The technology continuously analyzes animal behavior, detecting subtle changes that may signal emergencies such as colic — a potentially fatal condition in horses.

Developed by Hamburg‑based startup Acaris, the software is trained on hundreds of years' worth of video data to distinguish between normal and abnormal behavior.

Beyond horse stables, the system is now being used on large dairy farms, where AI and sensors monitor feeding, movement and health indicators of hundreds of cows. The goal: earlier disease detection, improved animal welfare and greater efficiency in modern agriculture.

This video summary was created by AI from the original DW script. It was edited by a journalist before publication.