In recent years, the fourth industrial revolution has found its way into agriculture. Under the term smart farming, various so-called smart products are offered that may positively influence both the daily work of farmers and animal welfare. These smart products can collect data from the farm, extract important information, and in some cases even make decisions independently. Particularly in Germany, where intensive livestock farming is criticized by society, such smart products could make a significant contribution to improving animal welfare. However, an important prerequisite is the acceptance of the users, who are usually the livestock farmers themselves. So far, there is little knowledge about farmers’ attitudes towards smart products in livestock production. In this study, a factor analysis and a cluster analysis are conducted to evaluate the attitudes of German livestock farmers towards smart products. Based on the analysis of an online questionnaire in which German livestock farmers (n = 422) participated, four clusters could be derived. The main distinguishing characteristics of the clusters are the influence of the social environment, the expected effort for implementation, the general trust in smart products, and the technology readiness of the farms. As a result, this study provides valuable insights for technology providers of smart products for livestock farming as well as for policy makers.

Farmers are considered a highly important stakeholder group for the successful implementation of higher farm animal welfare (FAW) standards, but so far little is known about their attitudes and the determinants of their participation in programs that request higher FAW standards. To close this research gap, fattening pig farmers in Germany were questioned via a large-scale online survey in 2018 (n = 239). Based on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology, a partial least squares path modeling (PLS) was run. Results show that the expected performance as well as the expected costs associated with the Initiative Animal Welfare (IAW) substantially influence fattening pig farmers’ behavioral intention to participate in the IAW. Furthermore, the decision is influenced by social determinants and facilitating conditions such as deadweight effects. Farmers’ hedonic motivation, fair remuneration and previous experiences with the establishment of higher FAW standards can influence their intention to take part in the IAW. In addition, farmers’ trust in the program is a major determinant. There are also moderating variables such as age and work experience that influence farmers’ intention to take part in the IAW. Our results have important managerial implications for the IAW and can help to design further tailor-made animal welfare programs (AWPs) that fulfill the requirements of both fattening pig farmers and the broader public not only in Germany but the European Union.

Innovative technologies in the context of smart farming are expected to play a significant role in the adaptation of the agricultural sector to climate change and sustainable agriculture. However, the adoption of smart farming solutions, in this case so-called smart products, depends indispensably on the acceptance of farmers. For this reason, it is important to develop an understanding of what determinants are decisive for farmers in the adoption of these technologies. In order to address this research gap, farmers in Germany were surveyed via a large-scale online survey in 2020 (n = 523). Based on an extended version of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology, a Partial Least Squares (PLS) analysis was performed. The results indicate that hedonic motivation significantly influences farmers’ behavioral intention to use smart products. In addition, behavioral intention is affected by social determinants and the personal performance expectations of smart products. Trust, as well as facilitating conditions, also has an impact on behavioral intention. Furthermore, facilitating conditions are an important determinant of the actual use behavior. In addition, use behavior is influenced by behavioral intention. It was further found that technology readiness plays a significant role in the adoption of smart products. Moderating effects of age, work experience, and farm size were identified that influence farmers’ willingness to use smart products. The study holds important managerial implications for technology companies in the field of smart farming and can help develop approaches for tailored technical solutions that meet farmers’ needs.

The subject animal welfare is increasingly in the public discourse. Consumers and policymakers are increasingly demanding products that are produced under increased animal welfare standards. The profession of the farmer involuntarily gets into disrepute. Many consumers want fundamental changes in pig farming, but are not aware of the consequences of implementation. In this representative study, consumers (n = 1101) were asked about their assessment of 33 animal welfare measures with regard to their importance and the feasibility of implementing those measures. With the help of a four-field matrix, both the perceived importance and the feasibility of the animal welfare measures surveyed were brought together. The results show four possibilities: important and easy to implement, important and not feasible, not important and easy to implement as well as not important and not feasible. The results show that any outdoor access to pasture ranks first, followed by any outdoor access to straw bedding. The results can make a significant contribution to future communication with critical consumers concerning the implementation of higher animal welfare levels, as it becomes clearer how realistic consumers are about the feasibility of several animal welfare measures. Furthermore, the results could prove useful for the design of animal welfare programs and could help famers making targeted decisions concerning stable construction and management.

In Europe, there is ongoing social criticism of conventional pig farming and demands for higher farm animal welfare standards. This applies primarily to products from pig production, as consumers criticize, among other things, the animals’ housing conditions, tail docking, neutering, or keeping them on slatted floors. Various animal welfare programs have tried to meet the consumers’ demands. Pig farmers are directly involved in the production process and are therefore key stakeholders for the successful implementation of animal welfare programs such as the German Initiative Animal Welfare. The Initiative Animal Welfare was founded in 2015 and serves as an example in this study, as it has been established for two rounds and involves high numbers of participants. However, little is known about the attitudes of pig farmers towards this specific animal welfare program. Thus, the aim of this study is to investigate these attitudes towards animal welfare programs using the example of German pig producers and identify group differences. Based on an online survey of German conventional pig farmers, four clusters were formed which differ in their attitude to the Initiative Animal Welfare. Overall, all farmers, regardless of the cluster, feel publicly pressured by politics and the media. In addition, all farmers are skeptical about the effort involved in participating in the Initiative Animal Welfare (IAW), especially with regard to the additional documentation requirements and unannounced controls. The findings can provide guidance for the design of animal welfare programs taking into account the needs of farmers.