If one of your swine operator customers has a problem with piglet mortality due to lay-ons, a new AI-based technology may offer a solution. SmartGuard can locate exactly where a piglet is getting crushed and alert the sow to roll over or stand up using vibration. The new technology has reduced the incidence of crushing and mortality of piglets by 35 to 40 percent in commercial farrowing operations. More than 90 percent of sows will stand up immediately when receiving the vibration signal.
Source: The Pig Site, December 20, 2019. Link. “I believe the SmartGuard technology could provide confidence for those transitioning producers [to an open farrowing system], and even for those producers who cannot change their facilities but want to achieve lower farrowing mortalities,” said Rooda.
INSIGHTS: As you might expect, the AI sensors also capture loads of additional data related to birthing, sow health and mortality and temperature control in resting areas, and there’s much more data coming in the future.