TECHNOLOGY FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE January 2026 73 planning and aligning ingredient purchasing policy to their feed production, so they can be more in control of their circumstances. Big data and artificial intelligence will enhance their ability to achieve this by encapsulating more data with a deeper understanding of the meaning of that data and the potential within it. For those who have been less able to take this approach, these new capabilities will offer the chance to fundamentally shift from a reactive discipline to a predictive and adaptive one.” Touching on the balance between theoretical knowledge and real-world applications, Mealey continues: “It is possible that the formulation process will increasingly move toward continuous optimization informed by real-world performance data. However, this should be approached with caution. Appropriate analysis of data will advise the best course of action – there are many variables within the system, from ingredients through to efficiency of feed usage on farm. Utilizing new approaches to data analysis will help companies understand the complexity and variability in the real world and make the best decisions accordingly. It is important to balance the theoretical with the practicalities and implications of application in the real world. Artificial intelligence will help capture feedback and accelerate learning from the success or otherwise of previous decisions. Many in the industry attempt to do this now but, due to complexity and lack of data or time, these attempts can be based on subjective measures or gut-feeling. Big data and the application of artificial intelligence offers a step-change improvement in this process with the potential for better outcomes for those who can take advantage.” “Looking ahead, big data and artificial intelligence will further transform animal nutrition from a formulation focused activity into a continuous optimization process,” says Luis Valenzuela from dsm-firmenich, sharing his predictions: “Closer integration between feed mills, farms, genetics, and processing will allow nutritional strategies to evolve dynamically as conditions change. Decision cycles will shorten, confidence in data supported recommendations will increase, and collaboration across the value chain will deepen. Nutritionists and producers will move from reacting to problems toward anticipating them, reducing risk while unlocking new efficiency gains.” Finally, Valenzuela notes that AI is used to empower human expertise rather than replace it: “Ultimately, big data and artificial intelligence are not about replacing expertise. They are about amplifying it. By combining scientific knowledge, digital intelligence, and practical experience, the animal production sector can build systems that are more resilient, more efficient, and more sustainable, while delivering tangible value to producers and the broader food chain. We at Precision Services believe in making the invisible, visible and the visible valuable.” Like Valenzuela, Mealey focuses on the empowering aspect of AI: “There is no doubting the imminent transformation. The transformation will not be about replacing human expertise, but amplifying it—giving nutrition professionals better tools, deeper insight, and greater confidence to make decisions that support efficiency, sustainability, and long-term resilience. It will give nutritionists time to spend on value-added activities such as ingredient evaluation, further improving efficiency and profitability for all involved.” SUMMARY OF DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION IN ANIMAL NUTRITION Big data and AI are moving animal feed formulations away from static recipes and into real-time, predictive, and adaptive systems. In the face of ingredient variability, increasing sustainability pressure, and narrowing profit margins, data-driven decision-making is no longer an option but a fundamental element of remaining competitive. Big data infrastructures and AI-supported analytics make it possible to optimize feed efficiency, animal health, and environmental performance together while increasing formulation accuracy. In the coming period, businesses that effectively adopt these digital approaches—which empower human expertise—are expected to lead in developing more resilient, transparent, and sustainable production models.
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