TECHNOLOGY FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE January 2026 67 BIG DATA AND THE ANIMAL NUTRITION INDUSTRY The concept of big data refers not only to high-volume data but also to the interpretation of data produced from different sources, at different speeds, and in different formats. In the animal nutrition industry, this translates to a complex data ecosystem extending from the field to the feed mill, and from the farm to the processing plant. Effective management of this ecosystem offers critical advantages for risk management and sustainable growth. Luis Valenzuela, Precision Services Manager at dsm-firmenich Animal Nutrition and Health, explains the importance of big data and its role in the industry: “Over the past decade, animal nutrition has entered a new phase of transformation. What was once driven by static formulations, fixed nutrient matrices, and retrospective performance analysis is increasingly becoming a predictive and insight driven discipline. The rapid growth of data availability across the animal production system has made big data management essential for delivering value, managing risk, and supporting sustainable growth.” “Big data in nutrition is now essential rather than a nice-to-have,” says Armin Pearn, Head of Insights at Dairy Data Warehouse (DDW), focusing on how big data shapes daily operations in the industry. Pearn shares the following: “Big data provides consultants with accurate, up-to-date herd insights, helping them make better, faster decisions that improve both efficiency and sustainability on farm. Here are some examples of how big data is shaping day to day in animal nutrition and feeding: We combine individual cow data with TMR information to support ration formulation tools. We can enable direct integration of herd inventory, group, and production data with mixer wagons to automatically adjust feed loads. We can deliver milk yield and feeding efficiency metrics per cow, helping nutritionists fine tune diets to optimise milk output and cost. We can provide fertility performance and health data per cow, for consultants to identify key improvement areas and support the farm with targeted feeding strategies. By connecting and standardizing these data streams, DDW turns information into measurable performance gains across feeding.” Ian Mealey, Product Marketing Director – Formulation at Datacor, touches upon the impact of big data on efficiency: “Quality data has always been fundamental to the success of the animal production industry. However, livestock production now operates within far tighter margins and far greater complexity than ever before. This impacts feed manufacturers who continue to balance volatile ingredient markets, evolving regulations, sustainability targets, animal health outcomes, and the growing demand for precision nutrition. To remain competitive and efficient, decisions can no longer be made in isolation or based on a narrow slice of information. “Big data” offers the opportunity to increase efficiency and productivity through improved data collection, verification and analysis.” All these approaches position big data not merely as a pile of information, but as a strategic resource that adds value to the industry when managed correctly. WHICH DATA, WHICH RESULTS? Animal production systems involve numerous variables and data points. Collecting these data is no longer an option but a prerequisite for remaining competitive in today’s conditions. Formulation Armin Pearn Dairy Data Warehouse
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