ROME (ITALPRESS) – In December 2020, according to Istat data, there are 458,534 livestock farms in Italy. Of these, 61.7% raise bovine, buffalo, swine and sheep and goat species. Compared to 2019, a significant decrease is estimated in the number of farms (equal to 282,759) that breed the target species. The drop affects all geographical areas, especially the Center, where there is a 7.2% decline compared to the national average of -4.8%. Access to fast and reliable connectivity, the availability of human capital possessing the necessary skills to use advanced technological tools, the choice of digital as a necessary investment even if expensive, are elements of innovation for the competitiveness and sustainability of the production of livestock farms, which however still suffer from a strong digital divide. In 2020, almost one in three companies is equipped with a personal computer, a connection and digital skills. Overall, 52.8% of Italian livestock farms declared that they use a broadband connection. The share of companies with more than 5 employees connected to the network reaches 82.6% against 59.3% of those with 2-5 employees and 39.0% of companies with one employee. On the other hand, in the territory, the greatest diffusion of fast connections is found between companies in the North-West (63.1%) and North-East (61.4%). The presence of websites and company profiles on social networks, however, affects only 16.1% of the companies interviewed. Once again, the company size plays a crucial role: 47.1% of livestock farms with more than 5 employees, 17.9% of those with 1-5 employees and 9.0% of farms with a only clerk. On a territorial level, the companies located in the Center show a greater propensity to use websites or social networks. As for the processes that allow the automation of various operations, such as milking, monitoring of milk quality, animal welfare and its behavior, the use is more widespread in the North-West (52.1% against a national average of 38.5%) while the central distribution is the one in which there is the lowest propensity (26.4%). As for the precision zootechnical systems or machinery introduced in the production activity, the most widespread are the computer systems for the management of the herd (47.8%), followed by the systems for monitoring the productive and reproductive activity of the herd. (41.0%), those responsible for remote management of animal identification (29.9%) and milking robots (21.4%). (ITALPRESS). ads / com 04-May-21 12:32 pm
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