Scientific Productions on Precision Livestock Farming: An Overview of the Evolution and Current State of Research Based on a Bibliometric Analysis.

Simple Summary: Precision livestock farming (PLF) is a concept that has gained significant interest in recent years due to its potential role in developing sustainable livestock production systems. This study aimed to conduct a bibliometric analysis of the PLF literature from 2005 to 2021 to understand the historical routes that influenced the use of technology in livestock farming, highlight future global trends, and identify changes in scientific research on this topic. The analysis of the PLF literature showed that the number of publications has steadily increased over time, with a more than doubled annual growth rate in the last five years. The leading countries in PLF research were the USA, the Netherlands, and Italy, and the top three core journals publishing PLF research were the Journal of Dairy Science, Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, and Animals. The study also highlighted the central role of automated milking systems in driving innovations in the PLF sector and the growing interest in emissions and mitigation as emerging themes for the future. Overall, this study provides insights into the past, present, and future of PLF research. The interest in precision livestock farming (PLF)—a concept discussed for the first time in the early 2000s—has advanced considerably in recent years due to its important role in the development of sustainable livestock production systems. However, a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of the PLF literature is lacking. To address this gap, this study analyzed documents published from 2005 to 2021, aiming to understand the historical influences on technology adoption in livestock farming, identify future global trends, and examine shifts in scientific research on this topic. By using specific search terms in the Web of Science Core Collection, 886 publications were identified and analyzed using the bibliometrix R-package. The analysis revealed that the collection consisted mostly of research articles (74.6%) and reviews (10.4%). The top three core journals were the Journal of Dairy Science, Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, and Animals. Over time, the number of publications has steadily increased, with a higher growth rate in the last five years (29.0%) compared to the initial period (13.7%). Authors and institutions from multiple countries have contributed to the literature, with the USA, the Netherlands, and Italy leading in terms of publication numbers. The analysis also highlighted the growing interest in bovine production systems, emphasizing the importance of behavioral studies in PLF tool development. Automated milking systems were identified as central drivers of innovation in the PLF sector. Emerging themes for the future included "emissions" and "mitigation", indicating a focus on environmental concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]