Mobile application for connected silos: a key asset for breeders

For several years now, the agricultural industry has been modernizing. In the digital age, new solutions are emerging to help farmers and breeders. Their objectives: to make their daily lives easier, improve their productivity by saving time through automation, or even to take better care of the health of their livestock. One of the systems implemented concerns silos. Used to store the animals’ grain, they are sometimes a constraint for the farmer. He has to check the level regularly and place orders when necessary. However, by placing a specially designed probe, it is now possible to know the filling rate of each of the silos and anticipate deliveries. To do this, the professional simply needs to consult his mobile application. Let’s see how it works, as well as its advantages and limitations.

How does the connected silos application work?

The mobile application for connected silos is a full member of the IoT system, the Internet of Things.

The IoT system

This brings together connected objects (the probes in the case of silos), wireless communication networks, space where the data collected is stored for exploitation, services that allow users (here the breeders and/or cooperatives) to obtain the final results and the security of these different elements.

The connected objects send data in real-time, which is stored on a hosting (cloud, servers, etc.). They are then processed by the system, which will translate the elements received into understandable and usable information. Once the analysis has been carried out, the result is transmitted to the user via a service (mobile, tablet or computer applications).

The mobile application, the essential tool for breeders

The mobile application is clearly, in the case of connected silos, the solution that allows farmers to take stock of their resources. Once the sensor is placed on the container, it connects the filling data to the platform. They will be translated and, in a few clicks, they access all the data from the silos concerned. This tool is a real decision-making aid, especially concerning refueling. It is intended to be practical and within the reach of most: it is designed to be installed on a smartphone, whether it is an Android or uses the iOS system.

What features for the application of connected silos?

The mobile application offers many features that will make the farmer’s daily life easier.

1. Once connected, the client accesses the levels of its different silos in real-time.
2. He can also consult the forecasts for the next day and the days that follow.
3. Based on these elements, the application tells him the quantity of feed to order, by type and by silo.
4. An alert is programmed to warn the farmer that he can order a full truck, which guarantees him the best offer on the market.
5. Via the application, it has the possibility to signal when one of the silos is empty in order to calibrate the probe as well as possible. This system allows him to make sure he gets the most accurate evaluation possible.

Advantages and limitations of the mobile application for connected silos

Like any automatic system, the mobile application for connected silos has many advantages – but also limitations.

Advantages of the mobile application for connected silos

The mobile application linked to the connected silos allows consulting the stock status in real-time. It has many advantages and represents a real daily support for the breeders.

1. It represents a real time-saving. It is no longer necessary to measure the silo level manually. Just log in to the application and select the silo concerned. Moreover, if the professional has to intervene on several sites, he saves trips since all the data is centralized in the application.
2. It allows the breeder to know his stock in each silo, as well as the space available there.
3. It also calculates the ideal time for the next order in order to benefit from the most advantageous rate (the 27 tons). The breeder can then plan to be delivered on off-peak days and avoid being without reserve on Sundays.
4. The application facilitates day-to-day management for both the company delivering the grain and its customer. In just a few clicks, he just has to place his order according to the products he needs and choose his delivery niche.
5. Finally, when the system is installed for a cooperative, it can help to optimize delivery rounds to the various connected companies. Ultimately, the cooperative should achieve economies of scale and reduce its carbon footprint.

What are the limitations of this application?

The application is there to provide farmers with essential data to optimize their pellet consumption. However, it also has limitations.

Forecasts are calculated based on the last few days. The algorithm is not aware of changes in activity (arrival of new head of cattle, departure of part of the herd or change in feed). It cannot replace the breeder, who will know how to adjust his orders according to future events.

In addition, certain applications will be developed to better support breeders. For example, they will be able to place their orders directly via the application with the supplier. This is still not possible at the moment.

Thus, the mobile application is the essential element of a connected silo. It allows you to obtain all the information necessary for the proper management of grain in real-time.