Progress 04/15/24 to 04/14/25

Outputs
Target Audience:The 46th ADSA Discover Conference hadapproximately 200 attendees, including a diverse group of scientists, industry professionals, service providers, and policymakers from across the dairy supply chain. Of these, around 30 participants were graduate students and postdoctoral researchers, reflecting the conference's strong commitment to early-career development.Participants were represent multiple disciplines, ranging from animal and dairy science to computer science, engineering, food systems, and environmental sustainability, creating a dynamic and interdisciplinary environment for collaborative discussion and innovation. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The 46th ADSA Discover Conference provided numerous opportunities for training and professional development through its interactive sessions, panel discussions, and Innovation Showcase. Over 60 graduate students and postdoctoral researchers participated, gaining direct exposure to leading experts, cutting-edge research, and real-world industry perspectives. The conference's inclusive environment encouraged early-career professionals to engage in discussions, ask questions, and network with senior scientists and industry leaders, fostering mentorship and collaboration. Additionally, presentations on data integration, AI applications, and sustainable data stewardship helped attendees build critical competencies in emerging areas of precision dairy farming. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The outcomes of the 46th ADSA Discover Conference have been disseminated to communities of interest through multiple channels. A scientific manuscript summarizing the key themes, discussions, and conclusions from the conference has been submitted to theJournal of Dairy Science, ensuring that the insights and recommendations reach a broad academic and professional audience. In addition, highlights from the conference were shared via social media, ADSA newsletters, and during follow-up presentations at other dairy and animal science events, extending the impact of the discussions beyond the conference itself and fostering continued dialogue among stakeholders in precision dairy farming. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? The 46th ADSA Discover Conference accomplished a dynamic and interdisciplinary exchange among nearly 200 participants representing academia, industry, producers, service providers, and graduate students. The program addressed five critical pillars of precision dairy farming, data integration, technology adoption, disruptive technologies, sustainable data stewardship, and data value mining, through a series of focused sessions led by globally recognized experts and moderated to promote in-depth discussion and collaboration. The event facilitated knowledge transfer across domains by presenting diverse perspectives, including those of farmers, processors, technologists, and legal experts, enabling participants to confront challenges and co-develop actionable insights for advancing data-driven dairy systems. Key accomplishments of the conference included: Establishing a shared understanding of thetechnical and sociological barriers to technology adoption, with insights into the "technology graveyard" and how to better prepare future professionals to integrate sensing technologies into dairy management; Presentingstate-of-the-art artificial intelligence applications, including the integration of enviromics and genomics, deep learning for phenotyping, and real-time monitoring systems; Advancing discussions ondata governance and ownership, highlighting international needs for standardization (e.g., ICAR's role), cybersecurity, and legal frameworks for responsible data use; Demonstrating emerging innovations during theInnovation Showcase, fostering direct interactions between developers and potential adopters of new technologies; Emphasizing the untappedeconomic and scientific potential of dairy data, with panels and presentations on how to extract value for producers, genetic improvement, health decision-making, and supply chain optimization. Throughout the event, structured Q&A periods and informal networking opportunities enabled attendees to challenge assumptions, form new collaborations, and identify opportunities for research, policy, and commercialization. The conference successfully met its goal of facilitating interdisciplinary engagement in animal systems and positioned participants to lead the next wave of innovation in precision dairy farming.

Publications

• Type: Other Journal Articles Status: Under Review Year Published: 2024 Citation: Sharma, S., E. Liu, M. van Leerdam, H. Hu, R. Villalobos-Barquero1, J. R. R. Dorea, V. E. Cabrera, M. Iwersen, J. M. Bewley, H. Soyeurt, M. I. Hostens. 46th ADSA DISCOVER Conference Review: Key Insights and Stakeholders Implications - Invited Review: milking the data for value-driven dairy farming. Journal of Dairy Science