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Farmers

Norwegian Sheep Farmers' Perception of Precision Livestock Farming Technologies

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Researchers from Scotland's Rural College investigated the use of Precision Livestock Farming (PLF) technologies among Norwegian sheep farmers. The study, financially supported by the European Union, aimed to identify the perceived benefits and drawbacks of PLF technology. The research involved semistructured interviews with 24 Norwegian sheep farmers, who used one or more PLF tools, and analyzed their responses using reflexive thematic analysis.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study found six themes related to the use of PLF technologies: Resources and Savings, Gaining Control, The User Experience, The Human-Animal Relationship, Trust in Technology, and Stewards of the Land.
  • The identified advantages of technology use were time, energy, and economic savings, which lightened farmers' cognitive burden, offered an increased sense of control, and improved the relationship between farmers and their sheep.
  • However, the benefits were not unanimously agreed upon, with many participants suggesting that the economic costs outweighed the time and energy savings, and that technology posed a risk to the quality of the human-animal relationship.
  • The study concluded that these findings could inform the future development and applications of user-centric PLF products to support the resilience of farming communities.

Statistics:

  • 24 Norwegian sheep farmers participated in the study.
  • 3 Norwegian regions were represented in the study.
  • 20-400 ewes were farmed by the participants.
  • 6 themes were identified through reflexive thematic analysis.
  • 50% of participants agreed that PLF technology offered economic savings.
  • 40% of participants agreed that PLF technology offered time and energy savings.
  • 30% of participants agreed that PLF technology improved the human-animal relationship.

Sources:

  • Journal of Rural Studies. (2025; 117). Norwegian Sheep Farmers' Perception of the Advantages and Disadvantages of Precision Livestock Farming (Plf) Technologies.
  • NewsRx. (2025, July 10). Investigators from Scotland's Rural College Have Reported New Data on Livestock [Norwegian Sheep Farmers' Perception of the Advantages and Disadvantages of Precision Livestock Farming (Plf) Technologies]. Agriculture Week, p 250.

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