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Data Protection Declaration
Imprint
In finishing pigs, the individual welfare will be assessed on an automatic basis. To do so, a measure of behavioural complexity will be used that can be recorded with the help of a 3D accelerometer (Piglexity)
Project
Project code: 28N604300
Contract period: 01.07.2021
- 30.06.2024
Budget: 166,735 Euro
Purpose of research: Applied research
Keywords: digital world, husbandry techniques, prevention, pigs, animal health, animal husbandry
The Welfare Quality® project aims at assessing welfare individually and based on behaviour. Yet, the execution of the protocol is time-consuming, replicability is limited, and summarising the different aspects into an overall assessment of e.g. a single farm is difficult. Instead of assessing a high number of single aspects, we propose to consider complete behavioural sequences of animals in their comprehensive complexity. Depression-like negative welfare states lead to a reduction in behavioural complexity. Conversely, a high complexity in behaviour indicates good welfare. In relation to welfare assessment, the problems in keeping finishing pigs adequately are specifically relevant. Therefore, we focus on this animal category, although the methodology could be used also in other farm animal species. A measure for individual complexity of behaviour of finishing pigs will be established, validated and developed further such that it can be recorded automatically. Such a measure allows for future research in optimising intensive housing systems as well as addressing questions on the variability of welfare between individuals living in the same housing system. At the same time, it can be used for self-control on farms such that animal keepers can take steps such that as many animals as possible reach the optimal value for behavioural complexity. If the sensor is complemented with radio communication capabilities in the future, the indicator developed here could be integrated in existing management systems as an early warning sign or in quality assurance scheme for a production label. If an ideal behavioural complexity can even be achieved in an indoor system, one may possibly forgo outdoor areas in the keeping of finishing pigs at low welfare cost but with reducing environmentally problematic emissions. In subproject A, a measure for behavioural complexity will be established that incorporates the number and type of behavioural elements, their sequence and the duration of single behavioural bouts. In addition, a model will be developed describing what can be considered random behavioural sequences such that deviations from real in comparison to the random sequences can be quantified. In subproject B, behavioural data and data from a 3D-accelerometer will be collected in housing systems varying in their intensity. A high number of practical farms will be included to reach a high external validity of the final conclusions. The intensity will range the full width from organic pasture-based to intensive barn systems. We expect, that the finishing pigs will show a maximum behavioural complexity in the systems that resemble a natural environment more closely. With this, the measure of complexity will be validated. In addition, this subproject provides the data for all additional subprojects. In subproject C, at least one representative indicator will be searched for that can be deduced more simply from the behavioural sequences than the full measure of complexity and that shows a similar pattern of dependency in respect to housing intensity. In the last subproject D, correlates of the representative indicator(s) will be defined from the 3D accelerometers such that these can be recorded and calculated automatically.
Section overview
Subjects
- Animal Husbandry
- Animal health
