Pig Forte

Pigs do not sweat and have relatively small lungs. Combined with a high degree of insulating body fat, this makes them prone to heat stress: a condition where the internal temperature rises to a harmful level. To lower their temperature, pigs increase their respiration rate and reduce their food intake. If their temperature remains critically high, pigs will start drinking excessive amounts of water. Heat stress is known to have a significant negative impact on the number of small pigs per sow and on the weight of the pigs. In the project Pig Forte, Serket and Kanters aim to develop an integrated service platform that automatically detects heat stress in pigs at an early stage and provides a targeted response with an alleviating supplement. Feedback from the behavioral analysis system is used firstly to tailor and validate the existing supplement (Aeroforte) for pigs, and secondly to optimize it over time for specific farm conditions and pig health. The integrated service platform should yield unique interventions at farm, pen and pig level and with good results: • When the Pig Forte system is used, animal welfare is improved • A feed supplement that reduces heat stress will developed and validated • Heat stress is detected with a high accuracy level of > 80%. • The yield of one pig farm will increase with 5% by reducing heat stress leading The project directly contributes to the special 2020 subtheme ‘Duurzame Dierlijke Producten of the topsector Agri & Food. This approach developed by two Dutch companies has the potential to further promote the highly innovative image of Dutch farming across the world. Both companies will benefit significantly by lots of business opportunities. The estimated project duration is 1¾ year and will cost ± € 800.000.