Livestock farming can be helped by science
Company Overview
Founded in March 2022, Telefarm is a spin-off company of TCB-Avgidis, a long-established technology group in the Greek automation market with a wide customer base in heavy industry. Telefarm currently employs four permanent team members and collaborates closely with its parent company for specialized technical expertise.
As Artemis Agiomavriti explains, the core focus of Telefarm is the monitoring of animal welfare and environmental conditions in intensive livestock farming systems. This is achieved through real-time data collection, transmission, processing, and visualization on an online platform. The system tracks microclimatic conditions and animal behavior in closed environments—such as poultry and pig farms—where animals are housed for extended periods. It also records environmental impact indicators in real time, including gas emissions, energy consumption, and water usage.
“Through our platform, farmers and veterinarians can monitor the condition of a unit 24/7,” explains Artemis Agiomavriti. Sensors collect data such as temperature, humidity, and ammonia levels, and the system is customizable to the specific needs of each producer.
Product Expansion & Innovation
Telefarm’s first customers come from the poultry sector. The company also operates an active R&D department working on smart tools and applications for cows, goats, and sheep. Among these are tools for evaluating milk production both quantitatively and qualitatively, with pilot tests already underway at a modern livestock unit in Paiania, Attica.
Science-Driven Approach
Artemis Agiomavriti holds a degree in Physics and a Master’s in Computer Science with a focus on robotics. Although she previously had no direct involvement in primary production, she now helps livestock producers modernize their operations and harness the full potential of technology.
“Livestock farming is a completely different world compared to academia or my previous role in R&D at TCB-Avgidis. It’s a big shift,” she says.
The biggest challenge she encountered? “The lack of organization in many Greek farms, which makes it difficult for tech companies to offer effective support.”
She believes the livestock sector is vital both nutritionally and environmentally, especially in the context of climate change. “The primary sector can greatly benefit from advanced technologies—from sensors and computing to robotics.”
Adoption & Farmer Mindset
According to Agiomavriti, Greek livestock producers—particularly younger ones—are increasingly open to innovation. However, change can be slow.
“Farmers are used to working alone, so it’s not always easy to convince them that what we offer is better. We’re not here to criticize their methods—we simply provide accurate, measurable data to help them make better decisions and optimize their processes.”
Ultimately, the motivation is clear: better oversight and lower costs. With Telefarm, producers can set growth targets, control ventilation systems, track feed losses, and more — all in real time.
Strategic Partnerships
Telefarm has partnered with the Agricultural University of Athens, leveraging academic research in its product development. The company also plans to participate in national research programs and initiatives like “Research–Create–Innovate” and “Improvement Plans”, in collaboration with universities and farmers.
Agiomavriti emphasizes that while not all research projects lead directly to commercial products, many lay the groundwork for future innovation.
“The value of a research project depends on who executes it and how it’s managed. Even if it doesn’t produce a market-ready product immediately, it can still provide a strong foundation for future solutions.”
International Collaboration
Maria Nikolopoulou, Project System Engineer at Telefarm, also contributes to the company’s international initiatives. A physicist with a Master’s in Analog Circuit Design, she highlights the company’s collaboration with FarmControl in Portugal.
“We’ve visited several FarmControl installations across Portugal, where we observed advanced livestock management systems in action. Many of the farms were highly digitized.
In contrast, in Greece, many goat and sheep farms still need significant process optimization,” she explains.
Critical Data Points Monitored by Telefarm
Telefarm combines IoT technologies with smart algorithms to deliver a user-friendly livestock management platform that tracks in real time:
Production history and comparisons across cycles
Individual feed and water intake per animal
Mortality rate indicators
Available space per animal
Feed management deviations
Productivity and welfare indexes