Two New EAAP Working Groups Established

The EAAP Council has recently approved the establishment of two new working groups, following a recommendation from the Precision Livestock Farming (PLF) Study Commission. These are the AI4AS (Artificial Intelligence for Animal Science) and SENSTARA (Sensors and Standards Development for Research Activities) Working Groups. 

The AI4AS Working Group, chaired by Matti Pastell (Natural Resources Institute, Finland) and co-chaired by Mutian Niu (ETH Zürich, Switzerland), aims to create a permanent structure for organising the AI4AS conference within the PLF Study Commission. The group supports the development and application of artificial intelligence in animal science and the livestock sector. Following the success of the 2025 conference, AI4AS will form a stable scientific committee with three-year terms to ensure continuity. Responsibilities include defining the programme, evaluating abstracts, inviting keynote speakers, and attracting sponsors. The group also seeks to explore innovative session formats, training workshops, and publication pathways, broadening EAAP’s reach into technical disciplines while complementing—not competing with—the EAAP Annual Meeting. 

The SENSTARA Working Group, chaired by Daniel Foy (AgriGates, USA) and co-chaired by Jean Marc Gautier (France), focuses on the development of methodologies and standard operating procedures (SOPs) for research data standards in PLF, with a particular emphasis on animal behaviour and welfare. The group fosters cross-commission collaboration, promotes a species-agnostic approach to technology use, and supports the translation of welfare definitions across species. SENSTARA also aims to enhance interoperability of data systems and facilitate the adoption of PLF tools in research. A dedicated session will be held at the 2025 EAAP Annual Meeting in Innsbruck on standardisation of PLF tools for welfare assessment. 

Through the launch of these two new working groups, EAAP reaffirms its commitment to keeping pace with the latest scientific and technological advances in animal science and livestock farming. EAAP members interested in contributing to these groups are encouraged to contact the EAAP Secretariat to learn how to get involved.