<div id="readability-page-1"> <time datetime="2026-03-23T16:01:41+00:00"> Monday 23 March 2026 4:01 pm </time> <div> Add as a preferred source on Google </div> <figure> <div> </div> <img width="742" height="495" src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://www.cityam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/pexels-gabrielacheloni-2191425-e1774279136940.jpg/query-dz03NDI?x-oss-process=image/auto-orient,1/interlace,1/resize,w_1440,h_1440/quality,q_95/format,jpg" original-src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://www.cityam.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/pexels-gabrielacheloni-2191425-e1774279136940.jpg/query-dz03NDI"/> <figcaption>Halter is in talks to raise fresh funding led by Founders Fund</figcaption> </figure> A startup fitting livestock with AI-powered collars is closing in on a $2bn valuation, as investors turn their attention to a less obvious frontier for AI.New Zealand-based Halter is in talks to raise fresh funding led by Founders Fund, the Silicon Valley firm backed by Peter Thiel.The round is understood to be heavily oversubscribed, pointing to renewed appetite for technology that promises tangible gains in traditional industries. Halter’s system allows farmers to manage herds remotely.Each animal wears a solar-powered collar linked to a mobile app, providing real-time data on location and health indicators such as fertility and digestion.The collars also emit sound and vibration signals, enabling farmers to guide livestock without physical intervention.Digital boundaries can be drawn and adjusted on a screen, reducing or eliminating the need for fencing.Herds can be moved between grazing areas or called in for milking without the same level of manual labour.The company charges a monthly fee per animal, shifting livestock management towards a subscription-based model.That structure, more commonly associated with software, has helped attract investor interest despite a tougher period for agricultural tech startups.Halter’s approach builds on a wider trend towards data-driven farming, with firms like Deere &amp; Company having developed machine learning tools for crop and equipment management.Meanwhile, Merck &amp; Co. monitors millions of livestock globally through connected systems. Halter’s model extends this by combining monitoring with direct control over animal movement.<h2 id="h-labour-shortages-and-rising-costs-drive-demand">Labour shortages and rising costs drive demand</h2>The move lands on a sector facing sustained pressure. In the US, cattle herds have fallen to their lowest level in decades, driven by drought, rising costs and an ageing workforce.Beef prices have increased as supply tightens, while rebuilding herds is expected to take years.Those conditions are increasing demand for tools that improve efficiency, and thereby cut costs.Reducing labour requirements and lowering infrastructure costs can all have a direct impact on output. Systems that allow fewer workers to manage larger herds are likely to see greater uptake, particularly in large-scale markets.Halter has already expanded into Australia and is targeting further growth in the US, where the economics of adoption are more compelling.Its rise is notable in a sector that has seen uneven investment in recent years, with some agtech companies struggling to scale.Areas offering clear operational benefits, particularly those linked to productivity, continue to attract capital.But adoption is expected to remain gradual, with considerations around cost, reliability, or even animal welfare continuing to shape how quickly systems are rolled out. </div>

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全球農業 ETF - Market Vectors

投資者對農業科技的興趣日益增加，特別是在人工智能在牲畜管理中的應用方面。總部位於新西蘭的初創公司 Halter 正在尋求由 Founders Fund 主導的新一輪融資，估值接近 20 億美元。其人工智能驅動的項圈使農民能夠遠程管理牛羣，提供實時數據並減少勞動力需求。隨着美國牛肉價格上漲和勞動力短缺，這一趨勢推動了對高效農業工具的需求。Halter 的訂閲模式和對數據驅動農業的關注與行業的更廣泛轉變相一致，儘管由於成本和可靠性問題，採用可能會逐步進行

投資者將農業視為人工智能的最新財源