Graduation internship: Imaging the learning behaviour of Cows through data analysis and practical research

Company Description

At Lely, we believe in achieving a sustainable, profitable and agreeable future for dairy farmers by combining robotisation, engineering and farming expertise.

It all started with a dream cherished by two brothers in Maassluis 75 years ago, and ever since, we have worked to become innovative market leaders in automated systems for dairy farmers across the globe. With a team of 2,500 professional specialists, we work constantly to bring about revolutionary solutions for the agro industry. We are based at our Maassluis Campus, a building which features the highest sustainability performance possible, not just in the Netherlands, but on a global scale. Our overall objective: making dairy farming interesting, also for the coming generations.

Job Description

Do you have a lot of experience with cows, are you curious about their behaviour and would you like to contribute to animal-friendly technological innovations in dairy farming? Then this graduation internship is for you! This project focuses on the learning behaviour of cows, with the aim of developing alternatives to the use of electric stimuli in the milking robot.

At Lely, we are constantly looking for ways to improve animal welfare. In order to apply alternatives such as sound or vibration as a signal for the cow to leave the milking robot, we first need to understand the current use of the electrical stimulus: when is it used, how often, for how long and with what effect? In addition, we want to understand to what extent cows are teachable to recognise and respond to other signals.

What are you going to do?

Think along with and contribute to a practical test design on the learning behaviour of cows
Perform data analyses with existing and newly collected data on Lely test farms
Design and implement a solution to efficiently collect practical data
Collaborate with engineers, veterinarians, data analysts and dairy farmers
Share test results and advise on the further development of the Lely Cow Expeller.

Qualifications

You are following an HBO or WO education in the direction of Animal Science, Veterinary Medicine, Agricultural Engineering or a similar study. You have demonstrable practical experience with cows and in-depth knowledge of their behaviour. You are both independent and cooperative, analytically strong and enjoy combining practice and theory.

In addition, you possess:

• Experience or affinity with practical research and data collection
• Interest in animal welfare and behavioural biology
• A proactive, inquisitive and solution-oriented attitude

Additional Information

A unique opportunity to graduate within a multidisciplinary and innovative team committed to sustainable and animal-friendly dairy farming. You will have the opportunity to make a real impact on a current topic and contribute directly to technological developments within Lely.

In addition, we offer:

• Supervision by experienced professionals from different fields
• A dynamic working environment where technology, animal health and sustainability come together
• The opportunity to combine your thesis with practical experience on the farm
• An internship allowance of €400 per month.
• A flat if travel time is too long.
• Participation in our #FitatLely programme with (online) sports lessons, master classes and other activities focused on wellbeing.
• Are you ready to take cow behaviour to the next level? Then apply now for this challenging graduate internship!