Systemic design requirements for sustainable Digital Twins in precision livestock farming

Facing the manifold sustainability challenges (GHG emissions, eutrophication, social
welfare, etc.) in livestock farming, Digital Twins can help farmers to use available feed
and nutrients efficiently, monitor livestock health, and control emissions to air, soil,
and water. Combined with current precision livestock farming (PLF) technologies, Digital
Twins (DT) enable real-time monitoring, simulation, and automation capabilities
through real-world models and a two-way flow of information. As current applications
are mostly focused on closed and highly regulated systems, this paper investigates the
systemic challenges and associated design implications of DTs in complex PLF settings.
By integrating a STES (social-technical-ecological system) design approach, the
authors argue to foster design strategies that serve sustainable livestock governance
and enable a sound and flexible basis for balancing associated engineering requirements
such as privacy, security, ethics, and inclusion. We will use a qualitative assessment
approach, discuss multi-disciplinary requirements for Digital Twins, and consolidate
them in a high-level road-map.