Группа REWE запускает пилотный проект по использованию ИИ для мониторинга здоровья животных

REWE Group’s Competence Centre for Agriculture has launched an interdisciplinary research project to evaluate how AI can monitor and improve livestock health and animal welfare. Collaborating with agricultural practitioners, academic institutions and technology providers, the initiative pilots sensor and camera systems on selected pig and poultry farms to transition livestock management towards continuous, data-driven monitoring. Advisory board member Max Esser-Geneschen and REWE Group initiated the research network, which brings together key stakeholders across the retail, veterinary and scientific sectors. Key partners include academic and veterinary institutions, such as trafo:agrar (University of Vechta), the Free University of Berlin, the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover Foundation, and the German Veterinary Association for Animal Welfare (TVT). Also taking part are tech start-up VetVise, which provides the camera systems for data collection, alongside practising farm consultants and pig farmer Gesa Langenberg. Interdisciplinary Collaboration This interdisciplinary collaboration ensures a close exchange between science and practice from the outset and guarantees the practical applicability of the results. The project aims to establish an interoperable data platform that measures tangible welfare outcomes, rather than basic regulatory compliance. By deploying VetVise’s optical sensors, the system tracks animal behaviour to detect health anomalies early and assist farmers in daily management. Carolin Weyers, head of the Competence Centre for Agriculture at REWE Group, commented, “Modern AI can support [farmers] in gaining additional insights and systematically collecting data under constant observation. “We want to investigate the concrete added value this technology offers for practical farm operations.” Prof. Dr Thomas Blaha, a board member of the TVT, added, “This interdisciplinary approach allows for a sound assessment of what contribution AI can make to animal health. “If we succeed in detecting changes in animal behaviour earlier, we can react more quickly and take more targeted action.”