Working Smarter using Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Artificial intelligence (AI) is here to stay, but how can it actually help WA woolgrowers on a day-to-day basis to reduce time spent in the office? Between compliance paperwork, staff management, biosecurity requirements, record keeping and analysing production data, many WA woolgrowers are spending more time behind a computer than they would like. While AI won't replace good management decisions, it can act as a digital assistant—helping to draft documents, analyse data and summarise information to save valuable hours each week.
Best of all, many AI tools are already available through your smartphone or computer and cost little or nothing to use.

Five Ways AI Can Help WA Woolgrowers

1. Spend Less Time Doing Paperwork

Farming in this day and age comes with a massive administrative burden. Whether it's developing biosecurity plans, updating farm safety procedures, preparing staff induction documents or applying for grants, writing these documents from scratch can be time-consuming. 

AI chatbots such as ChatGPT or Gemini can quickly generate first drafts, giving you a solid starting point that can then be tailored to your business. Rather than staring at a blank page, woolgrowers can focus on reviewing and refining the information, which can save a lot of time in the office. 

AI can also summarise lengthy reports, regulations and industry documents into concise, plain-language summaries, making it easier to stay informed without spending hours reading.

2. Make Better Use of Your Data

With EID now mandatory in WA, woolgrowers can easily collect huge amounts of data on their sheep from pregnancy scanning status, fleece testing, lamb marking records and tracking weights and condition scores. The challenge is how to turn that information into useful insights. 

AI tools can help identify trends, compare performance between mobs and assist with analysing your data. They can also help create or troubleshoot spreadsheets, saving frustration and improving record-keeping efficiency.

For example, woolgrowers can upload lamb weight data and ask an AI tool such as the Google Sheets “Analyze data’ function using Gemini to identify which paddocks or management groups are achieving the highest average daily gains, helping inform future grazing and feeding decisions.

3. Improve Communication with Staff and Contractors

Clear communication is critical when working with farm workers, shearers, contractors and seasonal staff. AI can help draft job advertisements, prepare induction checklists, create training materials and summarise meeting notes into clear action lists. It can also simplify complex instructions and assist with translating information if required. 

The result is more consistent communication and less time spent preparing documents. AI can also summarise emails and messages and draft responses to save you time.

4. Stay Across Markets and Industry Information

Woolgrowers receive a constant stream of market reports, newsletters and industry updates to their email inboxes. RatheOn-Farm Example of AI in the Sheep Yardsr than trying to read and understand everything in full, AI can quickly summarise key points from wool market updates, seasonal outlooks and industry publications. This allows woolgrowers to focus on the information most relevant to their business and make decisions faster.

5. Use AI as a Learning Tool

AI can also act as an on-demand learning assistant. Whether you're trying to better understand ASBVs, fleece measurement results, pasture budgeting, containment feeding or animal health concepts, AI can explain technical information in simple language and answer follow-up questions or point you in the right direction to learn more.

While it should never replace professional advice, it can be a useful way to build understanding and confidence around new technologies and management practices so that you can ask the right questions.

On-Farm Example of AI in the Sheep Yards

Woolgrower Rob Tole is already using ChatGPT as part of his day-to-day business. Rob and his family operate a mixed farming enterprise finishing around 10,000 lambs annually alongside a cropping program. He uses AI to summarise emails, newsletters and industry information, helping him quickly identify the most important updates.

However, the biggest benefits for Rob are occurring in the sheep yards.
By entering liveweight and mob performance data into ChatGPT, Rob can compare productivity between paddocks, mobs and supplier groups. This helps identify which combinations are delivering the strongest weight gains and supports faster management decisions.

Rob has even generated liveweight summaries and emailed them directly to his livestock agent before leaving the yards.
His advice for other woolgrowers is straightforward: start experimenting with AI. The more specific the instructions you provide, the more useful the outputs become.

New and Emerging AI Technologies to Watch

While AI chatbots are delivering immediate benefits today, several exciting technologies that use AI are also being developed specifically for the sheep and wool industry.

• Liveweight and fleece weight estimates - Developed by CSIRO with support from AWI and MLA, FlockMate uses AI, computer vision and 3D imaging to estimate liveweight and fleece weight as sheep move through the paddock. The technology aims to provide regular, non-invasive monitoring without handling animals 
• Sheep Facial Recognition - Genesmith is developing facial recognition technology capable of identifying individual sheep from more than 100 metres away using cameras and AI. One of the key goals is automatically matching ewes with lambs to improve reproductive and genetic decision-making
• WeedScan - Available now as a free smartphone app, WeedScan uses AI to identify weeds from a photo and provides management information to support timely control decisions. WeedScan is powered by a CSIRO AI model trained on more than 120,000 weed images and serves as an identification, recording and alert system for over 930 priority and other weeds to assist with pasture monitoring
• Automated Phenotypic Scoring - An AWI-funded pilot study demonstrated that deep learning AI algorithms could successfully predict key performance traits in young sheep by analysing digital photographs taken in a semi-automated image-capture crate. Using combined top and side cameras, the AI predicted sheep bodyweight with an accuracy of 89%. The system also matched anonymous face and body images back to the correct eID with up to 99.7% accuracy. It demonstrated a proof of concept that AI systems could collect visual traits from moving animals in commercial settings, enabling instantaneous classification and drafting "on-the-run"
• Follicle Density Estimation - AWI-funded research led by the University of Adelaide is developing optical coherence tomography (OCT) scanning and AI technology to rapidly estimate wool follicle density from skin samples. The technology could allow woolgrowers to assess wool-producing potential before first shearing, accelerating genetic improvement in both fleece weight and fibre diameter.

Remember: AI Isn’t Perfect

While AI can be a valuable assistant, it is important to remember that it is not a replacement for experience, judgement or professional advice.

Always:

• Check information for accuracy
• Verify calculations before making decisions
• Review and edit drafted documents before using them
• Avoid uploading confidential business or personal information into public AI platforms

AI works best when combined with good management, quality data, critical thinking and sound decision-making.

Key Takeaways for WA Woolgrowers

Get started today with using your virtual AI assistant to save you time and money:

• Start small: Use AI to draft a document, summarise a report or create a spreadsheet template
• Unlock the value of your data: Analyse EID, production and flock records faster and more effectively
• Try free tools: ChatGPT, Gemini and WeedScan can deliver immediate on-farm benefits for free
• Be specific: Give clear, detailed instructions to AI tools to get better results
• Be critical and verify: Always critically review AI-generated information before making decisions
• Protect your privacy: Never upload confidential business or personal information into public AI tools
• Watch this space: Emerging technologies such as FlockMate, Genesmith’s sheep facial recognition and other AWI-funded AI initiatives could transform future flock management

For more information, check out the following:

• AI chatbots offer simple streamlining tool - AWI 
• FlockMate: a new tool for estimating sheep liveweight and fleece weight - AWI, MLA, CSIRO
• Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology for phenotypic measurement and selection - AWI
• Weedscan - CSIRO
• Sheep Facial Recognition Technology - Genesmith
• New technology to measure wool follicle density - AWI

Georgia Pugh, AWI Extension WA