Cargill’s Big Data Makes Happier—and More Productive—Cows

Cargill Inc., one of the world’s biggest agricultural companies, is tapping big data to help U.S. farmers make their cows more comfortable -- and more productive.  The 152-year-old Minneapolis-based company said that it plans to offer its Dairy Enteligen application in the U.S. in the next several months after introducing it in Italy and Spain. The platform lets consultants and farmers analyze reams of information, from cows’ living conditions to diet and milk productivity on smart tablets and computers. Cargill is part of the growing wave of companies looking to tap into the proliferation of data that’s sweeping across industries, from automotive to telecommunications and agriculture. Deere & Co., the world’s biggest producer of farm equipment, said that it closed on its $305 million acquisition of Blue River Technology Inc., a Silicon Valley-based company that specializes in smart machines. In its annual report last month, Cargill said it aspires to “change the game” within its industry with digitalization and analytics.