dr. PPJ (Rik) van der Tol

Coming from a farm family I have a passion for animal health in Precision Livestock Farming. Finding solutions by combining expertise from adjacent fields. Creatively challenging science with common sense is what solves the puzzles. That is what inspires me!

Raised as a Human Movement Scientist between Veterinarians and Farmers I obtained a PhD on ‘Lameness in Cows’, a research I continue now by using Artificial Intelligence. Last year, as co-applicant, I got a NWO-grant for smart solutions in horti- and agriculture: Enlighted pigs: integrating light with animal-friendly and sustainable farming. 

The topics I’m currently working on: 
-    The morphology of cows. Understanding the cow by her outside appearance using 3D-camera images. 
-    The growth and development of calves, using various sensor technologies. 
-    Detecting gait anomalies in cows by using efficient deep learning.