Application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Technologies for Improved Welfare and Productivity in Commercial Sow Barns

Project Lead

Centre de développement du porc du Québec, Lévis, QC

Project Partners

Canadian Centre for Swine Improvement Inc., Ottawa, ON

Université Laval, Québec, QC

Ro-main, Saint-Lambert-de-Lauzon, QC

Jyga Technologies, Saint-Lambert-de-Lauzon, QC

Pig Improvement Company, Nantwich, UK

Fast Genetics (AcuFast), Saskatoon, SK

Canadian Pork Council, Ottawa, ON

Project Description

The objective of the proposed project is to apply AI to improve resilience and sustainability of the Canadian sow barns. To this end, the project partners will test, validate, and demonstrate AI technologies in research facilities, and will collaborate with industry partners, including developers, dealers, and users, to accelerate and facilitate the adoption of precision livestock farming (PLF) in sow barns across Canada.

Project Innovation

• Develop a new prototype of precision breeding for gilts (SmartBreeding®) will be tested and validated on young sows to find the best time for insemination.
• Develop a new vision system will be tested to automatically assess body reserves in comparison to visual, instrumental (caliper), and ultrasound evaluation.
• Quantify interactions and develop indicators and alerts for the detection of potential problems within gestating sow groups. This will be achieved through the collection of data from electronic sow feeding systems (ESF) and video recordings, and their analyses using machine learning approaches.

Project Investment

CAAIN Contribution
$191,487

Total Project Value
$635,117

Project Contact

Patrick Gagnon, PhD
Manager, Data Analysis and Validation
Centre de développement du porc du Québec
pgagnon@cdpq.ca