Ny teknik inom grisproduktionen

Investments in pig operations often involve investments in various technical equipment and systems. Automatic feeding and automatic regulation of the ventilation in pig units are commonly installed today. The future technologies, being under development, are more advanced technical solutions as the pigs' growth, behavior, well-being, and health are monitored with the aim to give the pig producer real time data of the production and eventually, what measures required to be taken. Precision Livestock Farming (PLF) aims to combine hardware, e.g., cameras, microphones and sensors, with computer software to collect and analyze data. By real time automatic monitoring, the production results and pigs’ welfare and health are easier to follow-up instantly. The PLF technology function as a warning system for disturbances in the pig units before the stockperson has had time to notice the changes making it possible for quick and targeted interventions. Different types of cameras are being developed to record different behaviors in pigs, such as aggressive behaviors. Face recognition, by a mobile phone application, is being developed for individual recognition of pigs and as a replacement of ear tags. In addition, attempts are made to monitor the pigs' activity and body measurements with camera technology to obtain information about pig health and growth. Finding a reliable system for automatic weight estimation of the pigs would gain profitability. Thermal cameras, IR technology, will be of great importance in pig production in the future. Other equipment already on the market are sensors for sound analysis with the aim to early detect any respiratory disturbances among the pigs. Prior to any technology investment, it is essential that the pig producer has been ensured that the system and equipment have been carefully tested, and especially applied in commercial herds. Some of the technologies presented in this report have only been tested in small herds and in controlled research environments, and therefore need further development before commercialization. Additionally, the technologies must have been tested under different production conditions, e.g., among different pig categories, housing conditions and pen designs. Future commercial technologies preferably include continuous monitoring of the individual pig's behavior, well-being, and health, along with production results and indoor environmental parameters. It is important that the techniques are developed based on the needs of the pig and the stockperson to avoid any inconveniences. The technologies must also be profitable and user-friendly