Livestock production accounts for approximately 40 percent of Tennessee’s agricultural receipts, underscoring its importance to the state’s economy. Precision livestock farming helps producers address challenges like rising input costs while improving efficiency and sustainability. About fifty cows at the center are testing CERES TAGS, a wearable device like a smartwatch except worn on the ear. Troy Rowan, assistant professor and Extension specialist in the Department of Animal Science, monitors the information the tags gather. “Every couple of hours it sends information about the GPS location, where cows have been, and where they are currently,” he says. Algorithms are used to determine if the cow is resting or grazing.