International course on Precision Livestock Farming: from sensors to decision making

From May 4 to 8, 2026 , Madrid will host the in-person course “Creating Added Value in Precision Livestock Farming: From Sensors to Decision-Making,” a specialized training program that will address the use of sensors, data, and digital technologies applied to livestock production systems. The course will be taught in English and will take place at the CSIC facilities in Madrid.

The training focuses on Precision Livestock Farming (PLF) , an approach based on the continuous monitoring of animals using sensors and digital tools. While these technologies offer significant benefits for improving the environmental, economic, and social sustainability of farms, their adoption still presents major challenges, such as implementation costs, connectivity in rural areas, managing large volumes of data, and regulatory aspects related to the ownership and ethical use of information.

In this context, the main objective of the course is to provide a comprehensive view of PLF , familiarizing participants with the key concepts, available technologies and their practical applications, as well as the processes needed to transform the generated data into useful information for decision-making .

Goals

At the end of the course, participants will:

• They will be familiar with the concept of PLF
• They will have improved their technical knowledge of various PLF technologies
• They will understand the process of collecting and transforming raw data into information for decision-making.
• They will learn about the advantages and limitations of PLF systems
• They will learn about the regulations associated with PLF and data management

Recipients

The course is aimed at professionals with university degrees , especially those responsible for planning and decision-making in the public and private sectors, technical advisors, researchers, academics and professionals involved in the innovation of livestock production systems.

Organization

The activity is organized by CIHEAM , an intergovernmental organization dedicated to multilateral cooperation to promote more sustainable agri-food systems in the Mediterranean region, of which 13 member states are part, including Spain.

At the national level, the course has the support of CIHEAM Zaragoza , the headquarters of CIHEAM in Spain and an international benchmark in training, research and cooperation in agriculture, livestock, environment and natural resources.