Dr. Raj Sharma, College of Nebraska-Lincoln
Researchers on the College of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) are leveraging radio-frequency identification (RFID) know-how to revolutionize swine well being monitoring. By monitoring the feeding behaviors of particular person pigs, the know-how supplies an early warning system for detecting illness, permitting producers to intervene extra successfully and scale back potential losses.
The analysis, introduced by Dr. Raj Sharma, Postdoctoral Analysis Fellow at UNL, in the course of the Saskatchewan Pork Business Symposium 2024, focuses on deploying autonomous programs that seize information 24/7. These programs monitor pigs’ feeding and consuming habits, providing real-time insights to swine producers.
How RFID Expertise Works
Dr. Sharma defined that RFID-based programs monitor pigs’ visits to feeders and drinkers, monitoring metrics reminiscent of time spent consuming or consuming and frequency of visits. Deviations in these patterns, whether or not in particular person pigs or throughout peer teams, can sign potential well being points.
“We’re monitoring pigs going to the feeders and drinkers and by calculating how a lot time they spend there and what number of visits they make,” Dr. Sharma mentioned. “We will typically get a fairly good concept if there are any underlying situations since you see apparent adjustments from their sample or from the sample of their friends.”
At present, the system points alerts to producers when irregularities in feeding information recommend a pig could also be unwell. Whereas finding particular animals in massive teams—reminiscent of a barn with 110 pigs—stays a problem, researchers are engaged on marking programs to streamline the method.
Rising Applied sciences in Swine Well being Monitoring
The venture additionally incorporates laptop imaginative and prescient applied sciences to boost illness monitoring. This quickly advancing area makes use of AI-driven programs to trace animal actions and detect behavioral adjustments with excessive accuracy.
“On the College of Nebraska, we’ve a staff engaged on New Monitor, a confirmed system for monitoring pigs. It really works, and laptop imaginative and prescient applied sciences are offering extremely correct outcomes,” Dr. Sharma added.
Supporting Caretakers Amid Labor Shortages
Regardless of its superior capabilities, the RFID and laptop imaginative and prescient programs aren’t designed to interchange human caretakers. As a substitute, they intention to enhance their efforts by offering instruments that make caretakers’ work simpler and extra environment friendly.
“The scarcity of labor within the pork sector is an enormous concern, so our purpose is to make these programs interactive and interesting,” Dr. Sharma famous. “This enables caretakers to give attention to the extra vital duties as a substitute of full visible inspections.”
A Step Ahead in Swine Well being Administration
These developments in autonomous monitoring spotlight the rising potential of know-how to handle labor shortages, enhance animal welfare, and enhance productiveness within the pork business. By enabling early illness detection, RFID and laptop imaginative and prescient programs are set to turn out to be priceless instruments in swine well being administration.
