WO2015034377A1

WO2015034377A1 - Farm management system and method

Info

Publication number: WO2015034377A1
Application number: PCT/NZ2014/000190
Authority: WO
Inventors: Kathryn HEMPSTALK; Steven HARCOURT; Sam SHERRARD
Original assignee: Livestock Improvement Corporation Limited
Priority date: 2013-09-04
Filing date: 2014-09-04
Publication date: 2015-03-12

Abstract

The present invention relates to farm management or automation systems, for example for managing herd animals such as dairy cows and farm equipment. According to one aspect, there is provided a farm management system for a farm having a plurality of animals and farm equipment, the system comprising a wireless access point coupled to a database comprising data on the animals and/or the farm equipment, a user-mounted device arranged to receive at least some of the data wirelessly from the database, the user-mounted device in use mounted on a user and arranged to display the received data in a field of view of the user.

Description

FARM MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD

Technical Field

The present invention relates to farm management or automation systems, for example for managing herd animals such as dairy cows and farm equipment.

Background

Managing herd animals and especially dairy animals typically requires tracking each animal from birth to death, including monitoring health, milk production, drafting or treatment requirements, and many other variables. Various software products are available to assist farmers with this task allowing for updating of information about each animal and also providing prompts to take action such as drafting. A commercially available software product is MINDA available from Livestock Improvement Corporation in New Zealand - see www.lic.co.nz. Whilst such systems are undoubtedly an improvement, because of the need for farmers to move about a farm as part of their daily routine, they are typically required to carry a notebook to note any changes to individual animals such as symptoms of sickness, and also to prompt actions signalled by the management system. Updates to data about the animals can then be input into the management system at the end of the day, typically via a computer terminal in a farm building. Similarly action prompts for the day may need to be noted down in the notebook at the start of the day so that these can be attended to whilst the farmer moves about the farm and encounters animals which are the subject of these action prompts.

The reference to any prior art in the specification is not, and should not be, taken as, an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that the prior art forms part of the common general knowledge in any country.

Summary

It is an object of the present invention to provide a farm management system which will overcome or ameliorate problems with such at present, or at least provide the public with a useful choice. Other objects of the present invention may become apparent from the following description, which is given by way of example only.

According to one aspect, there is provided a farm management system for a farm having a plurality of animals and farm equipment, the system comprising a wireless access point coupled to a database comprising data on the animals and/or the farm equipment, a user-mounted device arranged to receive at least some of the data wirelessly from the database, the user- mounted device in use mounted on a user and arranged to display the received data in a field of view of the user.

The term farm management system is intended to encompass any computerised system providing some level of farm automation and/or administration in relation to animals and/or farm equipment.

By displaying the data in the field of view of the user, the user is then freed up to perform activities whilst having the data readily available to them, without for example having to look down at a wrist mounted device or Smartphone and select wanted data for display. Rather embodiments provide this automatically, for example by projecting onto glasses worn by the user or a display surface about the farm which is visible whilst user activities are carried out. Thus for example, a farmer may adjust a drenching dose for a particular animal based on data about that animal displayed into the farmer's field of view. Because the activity of drenching the animal typically requires two hands, the data is conveniently provided in circumstances where the farmer may have difficulty in obtaining this using other known methods. Therefore the farmer or other user can have access to the data "hands-free", in other words without having to control and activate viewing of the data by using their hands or moving their arms, looking away from an activity, or otherwise moving their heads.

The field of view of the user is the view or scene in front of the user's eyes and which is seen by the user irrespective of their head position or eye orientation. In embodiments this includes the view of a task the user is performing. This can be contrasted with looking away from the task at a Smartphone or Wrist mounted device for example, here the data is not displayed to the user irrespective of their head position or eye orientation. In other embodiments the field of view is a hands free view. This field of view can be provided by using a headset which either displays the data to a lens in front of the user's eye, projects the data onto the user's eye, or projects the data in front of the user's eye onto a farm surface such as a tractor windscreen. The user-mounted device may comprise a headset having one or more lenses positioned in front of a user's eyes and arranged to overlay the displayed user-data on to the lens. In an embodiment a modified pair of glasses may be used which allow the user or farmer to see through the lenses whilst having the data projected on to the lens in such a way that it is overlaid with the farmer's view of the farm. Such an arrangement allows the farmer to interact with the farm management system whilst moving about the farm. Alternatively, the user mounted device may be arranged to project the data image onto a surface of a farm equipment such as the windscreen of a tractor, allowing a farmer to continue with an activity such as ploughing, whilst being presented with relevant information and not having to look away from the activity.

The user-mounted device may include a user interface for controlling which data is displayed to the user and/or for entering data from the user in relation to one or more of the animals and/or equipment. The user-mounted device being arranged to transmit this data to the database for updating respective records. The user interface may include technology such as eye-tracking, a physical or virtual keyboard and mouse, a touch screen, a unit for receiving and interpreting physical gestures and voice recognition technology. In some embodiments the user-mounted device may include a camera for taking photos of particular animals or farm equipment for inclusion with their respective records in the database. The data may comprise: an identifier for each animal; health observations for one or more animals, including injuries, sickness and treatment requirement as well as historical data on treatments; reproductive observations for one or more animals, including whether an animal is on heat; temperament observations for one or more animals; milking observations for one or more animals, including milk meter readings, milk withholding periods, and colostrum status. The data may also comprise action prompts such as treatment required. The data may further comprise current speed and direction of milking platforms, level of milk in a vat, paddock covers and quality, level of feed stored, condition of one or more water troughs, condition of one or more gates, condition of one or more sections of fencing, fertiliser spreading rates, location of farm equipment, hazards around the farm, location of other farm worker, weather information, climate and environmental data.

The system may also be arranged to provide means for receiving additional data from sensor devices and displaying the additional data in the field of view of the user. For example broadcasts from a nearby weather station or milk meter may be received by the user mounted device, and the broadcast data displayed together with or separately from the data received from the database. This additional sensor data may be received using Wi-Fi or Bluetooth™ technology for example, and received and displayed when the user mounted device is within range. The system may include means for locating the user mounted device and arranged to control which data is displayed to the user dependent on the location. This may be further controlled by determining the direction or orientation of the device. The system may comprise means for identifying an animal or farm equipment and be arranged to control which data is displayed to the user dependent on said identified animal or farm equipment. In a second aspect there is also provided a method of operating a farm management system for a farm comprising a plurality of animals and farm equipment, the method comprising;

maintaining data on the animals and/or farm equipment in a database; wirelessly transmitting at least some of the data from the database to a user-mounted device; displaying the transmitted data to a user wearing the user-mounted head set; by rendering an image of the data onto a display surface visible to the user.

There is also provided a user mounted device for use with a farm management system, and having: means for coupling wirelessly to a database of the farm management system, the database comprising data on animals and/or farm equipment; means for determining a pre- determined proximity to a said animal or farm equipment; means for requesting data corresponding to said animal or farm equipment determined to be within said pre-determined proximity; means for receiving and displaying said requested data.

The means for determining a predetermined proximity may comprise means for determining a location of the user mounted device, and optionally also an orientation or direction and/or altitude of the device. In an embodiment a GPS unit may be used, optionally together with geo- fencing technology, triangulation of wireless signals at known locations, pattern recognition of bar codes and the like at known locations, or the use of other sensing arrangements such as accelerometers, temperature, sun location, barometric pressure.

Alternatively, or additionally the means for determining a predetermined proximity may include means for identifying a nearby animal or farm equipment, for example using an RFID tag reader where the RFID tag is associated with an animal or farm equipment, a camera with pattern recognition technology for detecting a bar code, branding pattern, or animal coat pattern for example. This may be coupled with the capability to determine a distance to the pattern based on its apparent size, or echo location using sonar, laser or radar, or other means for determining distance.

The means for requesting comprises means for forwarding the location of the device to the farm management system. Alternatively, the means may comprise means for forwarding a recognised pattern together with distance estimate, or a unique identifier associated with an animal or farm equipment associated with the recognised pattern.

The user mounted device may additionally include a user interface arranged to control which data and/or which equipment information is displayed to the user. The user interface may be arranged to receive data from a user on one or more animals and/or farm equipment, and which is used to update the database.

There is also provided a method of operating a user mounted device for use with a farm management system, the method comprising communicating wirelessly with a database of the farm management system, the database comprising data on animals and/or farm equipment; determining a pre-determined proximity to a said animal or farm equipment; requesting data corresponding to said determined animal or farm equipment; receiving and displaying said requested data.

The invention may also be set broadly to consist in the parts, elements and features referred to or indicated in the specification of the application, individually or collectively, in any or all combinations of two or more parts, elements or features, and where specific integers are mentioned herein which have known equivalents in the art to which the invention relates, such known equivalents are deemed to be incorporated herein as if individually set forth.

Further aspects of the invention, which should be considered in all its novel aspects, will become apparent from the following description given by way of example only of possible embodiments of the invention.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Figure 1 Is a schematic diagram of a farm management system according to an

embodiment;

Figure 2 Is a flow chart of a method of operating a farm management system according to an embodiment;

Figure 3 Is a schematic diagram of a farm management system according to another

embodiment;

Figure 4 Is a flow chart of a method of operating a farm management system according to another embodiment;

Figure 5 Is a flow chart of a method of operating a farm management system according to a yet further embodiment. Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout the description and claims, the words "comprise", "comprising", and the like, are to be construed in an inclusive sense as opposed to an exclusive or exhausted sense, that is to say in the sense of "including, but not limited to".

Figure 1 shows a farm management system according to an embodiment and comprising a database 1 10 storing a number of records 115. Each record corresponds to a farm animal such as a cow or farm equipment such as a gate. Each record 115 may store data such as a unique identifier for each animal, health observations for the animal such as injuries, sickness and historical treatment applications. Further observations may include milk meter readings for a cow, milk withholding periods and colostrum status; reproductive observations such as whether the animal is on heat, and temperament observations such as whether the cow has been aggressive. The record may also include outstanding actions such as the requirement for drafting or other treatments, mating, non-milking periods. Other data may include farm irrigator and/or effluent spreader position, condition and water usage, paddock sensor information such as soil moisture; an animal that is pregnant or due to give birth. Where data is stored on farm equipment, this may include a unique identifier such as "water trough 1", a location, and a repair or maintenance status for example. An example database 1 0 is the animal management system MINDA previously referred to.

The farm management system 100 also comprises a wireless access point 120 coupled to the database 1 10. The wireless access point 120 may be implemented using a commercially available wi-fi access point for example. The farm management system 100 also comprises a user-mounted device 130 which in use is worn by or otherwise mounted on a user 140 such as a farmer. The user-mounted device 130 comprises a wireless transceiver 132 which is in wireless communication with the wireless access point 120. A commercially available wi-fi transceiver may be employed, however alternative methods of wireless communication between the user-mounted device 130 and the database 110 may be used, for example cellular mobile phone technology such as SMS or commercially available cellular data services such as 3G or HSPA. The user-mounted device 130 can be implemented as a headset comprising a lens 135 positioned over a user's eye. Data from the database 10 is transmitted wirelessly to the user-mounted device 130 and can then be projected on to the lens 135 in order to display this data to the user. A commercially available user-mounted device 130 is Google Glass available from Google Inc in the US. In this embodiment data from the various records 1 15 is projected on to the lens 135 and overlaid on to the view through the lens of the farm including animals 160 and farm equipment 170. Thus a farmer may view system data about a particular animal 160 or piece of farm equipment 170 whilst viewing the subject animal or equipment. This may highlight actions required or data which needs updating.

In alternative embodiments, the user-mounted device 130 may comprise glasses with two lenses or a headset with an opaque screen positioned adjacent a user's line of sight so that data displayed on the screen can be reviewed as required by the user by redirecting their line of sight to the screen. Different types of glasses could alternatively be used such as safety glasses onto which the data is projected, or lenses comprising transparent LCD or OLED screens. The headset may alternatively be arranged to project data received wirelessly from the database on to a nearby surface such a farm building, or equipment such as a tractor windscreen such as that supplied by NAVDY or directly onto an animal for example to assist with biopsy laparoscopic treatment or artificial insemination . Alternatively the data may be projected onto a user's eye. In further alternatives the user-mounted device may not be a headset but may be wrist mounted for example.

The farm management system 00 of Figure 1 also comprises a user interface 150. This user interface may be implemented as a physical controller having keys or other input mechanisms operable by hand and/or may include a microphone with voice activation software for interpreting voice commands and speakers to generate audio prompts or alerts. The user- interface may alternatively be implemented as a virtual keyboard or control panel using commercially available systems, for example such as that described in Google Inc.'s patent application WO2013/009482. In other embodiments the user-mounted device may include sensors to detect physical responses such as eye blinking or head or hand movement gestures. An example gesture sensor or human input/output interface is described in US 7648236.

The User interface 150 can be used to control which data is displayed to the user. For example in response to pre-determined gestures or user entered commands, the user-mounted device, 150 signals the database 1 10 to transmit data associated with a particular animal which the user or farmer may be currently standing adjacent. The database 110 transmits the requested data which is then displayed to the user, for example using the lens 135. The user interface may also be used to update data or add new data about one or more animals or farm equipment, for example to note a new injury on a particular animal. The entered data is forwarded wirelessly from the user-mounted device 130 to the database 110 where the appropriate record 115 is updated. Similarly an outstanding action such as drafting for a particular animal may be marked as completed with this information being forwarded to the database for updating the appropriate animal's record.

The user interface may also be used to control farm equipment such as an animal drafting gate using verbal comments, an oestrus detection camera for validating of reading KAMAR™ type heat oestrus detector patches, abrasive heat patches, tail paint, physical condition of rump for heat detection or LED oestrus patches for example.

The farm management system therefore provides an improved mechanism for the farmer to interact with data about environment, animals, farm equipment and farm systems. For example, the farmer may view database records for particular animals which are in the farmer's current field of view thereby allowing easy checking or updating of those records as well as performing outstanding actions and setting new actions. This avoids the need for separate note pads and other devices to record observations when moving about the farm, and reduces the amount of time required to interact with the farm management system, thereby enhancing farmer productivity. There is also reduced likelihood of errors, as only a single interaction is required rather than two farmer interactions via note book and separately computer terminal.

In another embodiment the user interface may control a link to a farm camera to enable a farmer to view and control a remote backing gate or visualise animals or farm conditions remotely. Other embodiments may allow remote interrogation of pasture sensors such as soil moisture detectors and control of adjacent irrigators. Similarly feed inventories may be queried and feed recipes for animals adjusted. In some embodiments various means for locating the user mounted device may be employed for example LED strips on ceilings; active and passive markers; tags of different fixed equipment; visual tail ID tag and/or RFID reader; bar codes. Similarly various means for identifying animals and equipment may be employed for example on facial recognition; gait recognition for generating a lameness alert; udder recognition using vein patterns; RFID tags and the like; shed or equipment recognition using camera recognition technology.

The headset may also be arranged to directly receive and display addition data from nearly sensors and other sources, in addition to data received from the database. For example as a farmer walks around a farm, additional data signals received from nearby sensing stations may be received when within a certain range, and displayed to the farmer. A milk meter may supply additional data when the farmer is walking near a milk shed, a water tank level sensor when the farmer is within range of the wireless communication technology used, and so on with other sensors such as weather stations, soil moisture, feed level, and equipment requiring attention such as a gate left open. This additional data may be broadcast so that it is received when the user mounted device is within range, or a handshaking protocol may be used to setup a channel and transfer the data on demand, which could be triggered by range, signal strength, or location determination (eg GPS). Various wireless technologies could be used such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or even cellular data technology. The additional data receiving and displaying could be used together with receiving and displaying data from the database, or independently. Similarly the additional data may be displayed as a pop-up over data from the database, or separately and/or independently - the particular headset display configuration may be controlled from the user interface.

Figure 2 is a flow chart of a method of operating a farm management system according to an embodiment. The method 200 may be implemented using the system of Figure 1. The method allows farmers or other users to interact remotely with data about farm animals or equipment, thereby improving the user experience, as well as reducing the amount of time required to interact with the farm management system. In a first step 205, the database 110 sends data to the user-mounted device 130. The particular data transmitted may be determined according to previously received user commands or according to a pre-arranged protocol in the absence thereof. The data is sent wirelessly as previously described and is received and displayed by the user-mounted device at step 210. The method 200 then determines whether any user interface (150) commands have been received from the user, for example to change what is being displayed or to enter new or correct existing data about animals or farm equipment. If no user interface commands are detected, or no user interface is being employed, the method 200 returns to the first step 205.

If however, user interface commands are received, the method proceeds to step 220 which determines whether the commands are requesting particular data be displayed. If this is the case, the method proceeds to step 225 in which a request for specified data is sent to the database, the method returning again to the first step 205. The request will typically be sent over the same wireless link (132-120) used to transmit the data, and any suitable control protocol may be employed as would be understood by those skilled in the art.

If the user interface command is not a request for specific data, the method moves to step 230, which determines whether user data is being inputted or has been selected for input. In this case the method proceeds to step 235 where the new or modified data is sent to the database, typically over the wireless link ( 32-120). At step 240, the database receives the new or modified data and updates its records 115 accordingly. The method then returns to the first step 205. Figure 3 shows a user mounted device 330 for use with a farm management system according to another embodiment. The farm management system includes a wireless access point 120, database 10 and animal and farm equipment records 15, not shown but as described with respect to the embodiment of Figure 1. In Figure 3 the user mounted device 330 is modified to include means for determining proximity to animals at 370 and/or farm equipment 360. This may be achieved by one or more of determining the location of the user mounted device and/or determining when the user mounted device is within a pre-determined distance or proximity to an animal or farm equipment.

The user mounted device 330 of Figure 3 comprises a wireless transceiver 372 for interfacing with the database 110 of the farm management system, and one or more lenses 335 for displaying animal and/or farm equipment data, and as described with respect to the

embodiment of Figure 1. The user mounted device 330 also comprises one or more proximity sensors which may selected or combined from: a GPS (global positioning system) receiver 380; a camera 382 which may include pattern recognition capabilities; an RFID transceiver 384 for "illuminating" and/or detecting RFID tags 372; as well as one or more other sensors 386 which may include echo location sensors, accelerometers and temperature, sun location or barometric pressure sensors. The user mounted device 330 may also include a microprocessor 390 and memory 395 for processing the various sensor signals and correlating these with known locations of farm equipment for example. Thus the memory 395 may comprise control software 397 for operating the user mounted device and map software 399 including the location of various features of a farm. Alternatively these capabilities may be provided on the database side of the farm management system with the user mounted device 330 arranged to relay sensor data. The farm management system of the embodiment of Figure 3 may therefore be configured to automatically display data on the lens 335 which corresponds to an animal 370 or farm equipment 360 which is within a pre-determined proximity or distance D (338) of the user mounted device 330. This may implemented by detecting the location of the user mounted device and comparing this with the known location of farm equipment or animals. The known locations may be fixed for example in the case of a gate, or maybe updated dynamically as part of the farm management system, for example by monitoring the location of a tractor or farm animal and then comparing this with the determined location of the user mounted device. In an alternative or complimentary method, the user mounted device may detect the proximity of animals or farm equipment by identifying nearby markers associated with the animal or farm equipment, such as an RFID tag 372 or a bar code 362.

Figure 4 is a flow chart of a method of operating a user mounted device according to an embodiment. The method 400 may be implemented as control software 397 executed by the user mounted devices microprocessor 390, and first determines a location of the user mounted device in a first step 405. This may be achieved by monitoring a GPS receiver mounted on the user mounted device, although other mechanisms may alternatively or additionally be used such as triangulation from wireless signals having known location transmitters, pattern recognition of bar codes associated with known location farm equipment or animals, or other sensing arrangements such as employing accelerometer readings from a previously known fixed position, indicative temperature or barometric pressure readings associated with specific known locations and so on.

In the next step 410, the method determines animals or farm equipment within a pre-determined proximity or distance D from the location of the user mounted device. This may be implemented by comparing the determined location of the user mounted device with a map of the farm which includes the locations of various farm equipment and/or animals. Such functionality is available for example from Google Maps or various other commercially available software. The method may also identify whether the user mounted device is within a defined area such as a paddock for example, and may be implemented using geo-fencing. At the next step 415, the method requests data on animal or farm equipment within the predetermined proximity of the user mounted device, the request being forwarded wirelessly to the farm management systems database 1 0 which responds with the requested data. In an alternative implementation, the user mounted device may simply forward its determined location to the database which performs the various calculations for determining proximate animals and/or farm equipment and automatically forwarding corresponding data to the user mounted device. In step 420, the user mounted device receives data corresponding to animals and/or farm equipment within the pre-determined proximity, and displays this to a user, for example using a lens 335. The method then returns to the first step 405. The predetermined proximity 338 (D) may vary depending on the animal or farm equipment involved. It may also be dependent on the number of animals or farm equipment located nearby the user mounted device. For example in a stock pen with many animals, the pre-determined proximity may be reduced for example to one metre, whereas in a paddock this may be lengthened to five metres. Similarly the proximity distance 338 to a milk vat may be ten metres whereas to a smaller item in a more crowded environment such as a stock pen gate, this distance or proximity may be reduced to, for example, two metres. The pre-determined proximity or distance D may be adjustable by the user.

Figure 5 shows the flow chart of a second method of operating the user mounted device 330 and which may be implemented alternatively or in parallel/concurrently with the method of Figure 4. In the method 500 of Figure 5, the user mounted device first identifies a nearby animal or farm equipment at step 505. This may be implemented using an RFID tag sensor 384 which identifies an RFID tag 372 implanted in or otherwise associated with a particular animal 370 when the user mounted device is within range of the RFID tag. In an alternative or complementary implementation, a camera 382 may be used to detect bar codes 362 associated with particular farm equipment 360, a freeze brand or other marking on a particular animal 370, or even a unique coat pattern of a particular animal.

At the next step 5 0, the method determines a distance to the identified animal or farm equipment. This may be implemented using range estimation by the RFID tag reader 384. Where pattern recognition is used by a camera 382, the distance may be estimated by the relative size of the pattern. In another implementation an echo location sensor 386 may use sonar, laser, radar or other methods (e.g. time of flight) to estimate a distance to the identified object. In a further implementation the location of the user mounted device may be used to estimate the distance to a known location farm equipment or animal.

The method 500 then moves on to the next step 515 which determines whether the estimated distance is within the pre-determined proximity or distance D of the identified farm animal or farm equipment. If this is not the case (N), the method 500 returns to the first step 505. If however the user mounted device 330 is determined to be within the appropriate pre- determined proximity (Y), then the method moves to step 520 and requests data associated with the identified animal or farm equipment. At the next stage 525, the user mounted device receives the requested data and displays this to a user of the device. The method 500 then returns to the first step 505. The various embodiments described may combine their various aspects, for example, the user interface 150 of Figure 1 may be employed in the user mounted device 330 of Figure 3, for example, to independently request specified data, to enter modified data, or to adjust various parameters of the system such as the pre-determined proximity associated with one or more animals or farm equipment. Various other alterations to the system could be made, for example the user mounted device may interrogate GPS receivers located on nearby animals or farm equipment, Bluetooth communication may be enabled between the user mounted device and Bluetooth devices on nearby animals or farm equipment, location of the user mounted device may be determined manually, for example, by user voice such as noting that the user is now in "paddock" 14. Using patterns other than bar codes or freeze branding is also possible. In a further alternative, the data displayed about an animal or farm equipment may also be dependent on their dynamic location, for example, when cow 123 is located in a paddock the data displayed may be her current body condition score, whereas when cow 123 is located in the milking shed the data displayed may be milking data. RFID tags may be implanted subcutaneously within a cow, or may be located in a collar. RFID tags may also be mounted on static farm equipment. Geo-fencing of various areas of the farm may permit overlapping of bounded areas so that data about both areas may be alternatively displayed, for example grass cover of a particular paddock and the maintenance schedule of a water pump in that paddock.

Wherein the forgoing description, reference has been made to specific components or integers of the invention having known equivalents, then such equivalents are herein incorporated as if individually set forth. Although this invention has been described by way of example and with reference to possible embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that modification or improvements may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A farm management system for a farm having a plurality of animals and farm equipment, the system comprising:

a wireless access point coupled to a database comprising data on the animals and/or the farm equipment;

a user-mounted device arranged to receive at least some of the data wirelessly from the database, the user-mounted device in use mounted on a user and arranged to display the received data in a field of view of the user.

2. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the user-mounted device comprises a headset having one or more lenses positioned in front of a user's eyes and arranged to display the data on the or each lens.

3. A system according to claim 2, wherein the headset comprises a pair of lenses allowing the user to see through the lenses whilst having the data displayed on to the lens in such a way that it is overlaid with the farmer's view of the farm.

4. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the user-mounted device comprises a headset which is arranged to project the received data onto a display surface of a farm equipment and the user-mounted device comprises a head-up-display (HUD) unit arranged to project the data onto the farm equipment.

5. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the user-mounted device comprises a headset which is arranged to project the received data onto an eye of the user.

6. A system according to any one preceding claim, the user-mounted device including a user interface for controlling which data is displayed to the user and/or for entering data from the user in relation to one or more of the animals and/or equipment.

7. A system according to claim 6, wherein the user interface comprises one or more of the following for receiving user input: keyboard means; voice recognition means; gesture recognition means.

8. A system according to any one preceding claim, and further comprising means for locating the user mounted device and arranged to control which data is displayed to the user dependent on the location.

9. A system according to any one preceding claim, and further comprising means for identifying an animal or farm equipment and arranged to control which data is displayed to the user dependent on said identified animal or farm equipment.

10. A system according to any one preceding claim, and further comprising means for determining a pre-determined proximity to a said animal or farm equipment and arranged to control which data is displayed to the user dependent on said identified animal or farm equipment

11. A system according to claim 10, wherein the means for determining comprises one or more of the following: an RFID tag reader where the RFID tag is associated with an animal or farm equipment; a camera with pattern recognition technology for detecting a bar code, branding pattern, or animal coat pattern.

12. A system according to claim 10 or 1 1 , wherein the means for determining comprises one or more of the following: a GPS unit may be used; triangulation of wireless signals at known locations; pattern recognition of bar codes or other active or passive markers at known locations.

13. A system according to any one preceding claim, wherein the data comprises one or more of the following: an identifier for each animal; health observations for one or more animals, including injuries, sickness and treatment requirement as well as historical data on treatments; reproductive observations for one or more animals, including whether an animal is on heat; temperament observations for one or more animals; milking observations for one or more animals, including milk meter readings, milk withholding periods, and colostrum status; action prompts; speed and direction of milking platforms; level of milk in a vat; paddock covers; level of feed stored; condition of one or more water troughs; condition of one or more gates; condition of one or more sections of fencing; fertiliser spreading rates; location of farm equipment; hazards around the farm; location of other users; weather information.

14. A system according to any one preceding claim, further comprising means for receiving additional data from sensor devices and displaying the additional data in the field of view of the user.

15. A method of operating a farm management system for a farm comprising a plurality of animals and farm equipment, the method comprising;

maintaining data on the animals and/or farm equipment in a database;

wire!essly transmitting at least some of the data from the database to a user-mounted device;

displaying the transmitted data in a field of view of the user.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein the user-mounted device comprises a headset having one or more lenses positioned in front of a user's eyes and displaying the data on the or each lens.

17. A method according to claim 15, wherein displaying comprises projecting the data onto a display surface of a said farm equipment.

18. A method according to any one of claims 5 - 17, further comprising controlling which data is displayed to the user in response to controls entered into a user interface

19. A method according to any one of claims 15 - 18, and further comprising locating the user mounted device and controlling which data is displayed to the user dependent on the location.

20. A method according to any one of claims 15 - 19, and further comprising identifying an animal or farm equipment and controlling which data is displayed to the user dependent on said identified animal or farm equipment.

21. A method according to any one of claims 15 - 19, and further comprising determining a pre-determined proximity to a said animal or farm equipment and controlling which data is displayed to the user dependent on said identified animal or farm equipment.

22. A method according to any one of claims 15 - 19, further comprising receiving additional data from sensor devices and displaying the additional data in the field of view of the user.

23. A farm management system substantially as herein described and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

24. A method of operating a farm management system substantially as herein described and with reference to the accompanying drawings.