A quiet revolution is set to transform how Riverina sheep farmers manage their flocks, as advanced AI-based facial recognition technology rapidly moves from research to real-world application.

This cutting-edge innovation could soon mean the end of traditional ear-tagging, offering a more efficient and humane way to identify and monitor individual animals.

For years, ear tags have been a staple in livestock management, but they come with costs – not just financial (around $1-$2 per tag, plus labour and potential replacements), but also in terms of animal stress.

New non-invasive animal ID systems are poised to change this, making farming simpler and more cost-effective.

Companies in Australia, New Zealand, and Ireland are already trialling this smart technology. Genesmith, for instance, is deploying AI tools here in Australia to help sheep farmers identify their top breeding ewes just by their faces.

This means better decisions can be made about breeding and flock health, without needing to handle every animal for tagging.

neXtgen Agri is a livestock consultancy company founded in 2021 in New Zealand. The company has a team of livestock consultants based in both New Zealand and Australia, including in Orange, NSW.

Dr. Mark Ferguson, CEO of neXtgen Agri, highlights the core benefit of adopting AI technologies in agriculture:

“They (the sheep) are actually all individuals, and machine learning can pick the subtle differences between them in the same way it can between humans.”

“Essentially, it’s about knowing which animal is the most productive, and then taking inefficiencies out of the system.”

Dr. Ferguson also touched on the practical challenges and solutions.

“One camera or a couple of cameras can handle lots of animals compared to having to put one thing on individual animals, which works beautifully with cattle but the price point is a bit steep with sheep.”

He is confident in the technology’s potential.

“This technology changes everything and we’ve just got started. I have no doubt that cameras and agriculture are going to be a really powerful combination.”

NSW Farmers has consistently advocated for practical and affordable traceability systems that benefit producers.

While their focus has largely been on the implementation of eID tags under the NLIS, their core principle remains strong:

“Farmers need support in reducing the cost of accredited eID National Livestock Identification System devices, including ear tags and similar identification technology,” NSW Farmers president Xavier Martin said in 2023.

Research breakthroughs are supporting these advances, with AI models now achieving over 95 per cent accuracy in identifying sheep from images.

These systems are becoming lightweight and fast enough to use right on the farm, even during routine activities like weighing.

Looking ahead, these AI systems could extend to drafting, disease monitoring, and even detecting rustling and stock theft.

Companies are trialling AI facial recognition of sheep to reduce costs to farmers and tackle stock theft.

This article appeared in The Riverine Grazier, 23 July 2025.