The impact of a “smart water trough” on a sheep and goats smallholder farm

Optimal timing for marketing is the main issue this paper is addressing. It also provides a warning in case of the onset of disease that can be noticeable from drinking behaviour variations. This paper describes the calculated economic value of an early warning system (EWS) for indoor meat sheep production. The same device was initially developed to serve in Ramat Hanadiv when the animals return from grazing and rush to drink water in the proposed water trough. An EWS with a multi-sensor (weight, water meter, electrooptic sensor) monitored drinking station was developed. Weight, drinking behaviour, water trough attendance and water consumption data were collected from 53 Assaf breed sheep housed indoors, two to five months old, over three months. The financial benefit model is comprised of calculating alternative costs for cases of ineffective growth and optimal timing for marketing. Using the continuous measurement of growth for individual animals, the study uncovered a significant potential profit increase of up to 50% by employing a data-driven decision support system through a reduction in labour and feed costs.