Genomic analysis of mobility measures on 5-month-old gilts associated with structural soundness.

Sow lameness results in premature culling, causing economic loss and well-being issues. A study, utilizing a pressure-sensing mat (GAIT4) and video monitoring system (NUtrack), was conducted to identify objective measurements on gilts that are predictive of future lameness. Gilts (N = 3656) were categorized to describe their lifetime soundness: SOUND, retained for breeding with no detected mobility issues; LAME_SOW, retained for breeding and detected lame as a sow; CULL_STR, not retained due to poor leg structure; LAME_GILT, not retained due to visible signs of lameness; and CULL, not retained due to reasons other than leg structure.

Online feeding behavior monitoring of individual group-housed grow-finish pigs using a low-frequency RFID electronic feeding system.

Early identification of animals in need of management intervention is critical to maximize animal health and welfare and minimize issues with productivity. Feeding behavior, captured by automated feeding systems, can be used to monitor the health and welfare status of individual pigs. Here, we present a framework for monitoring feeding behavior of grow-finish pigs in real time, using a low-frequency radio frequency identification (RFID) system.

Impacts of Farrowing Pen Design, Season, and Sow Parity on Litter Performance and Piglet Mortality.

Piglet mortality during lactation is a significant concern in swine production, influenced by complex interactions involving sow, piglet, environmental, and management factors. While crushing by the sow may be the ultimate cause of piglet mortality, there are many factors influencing the outcome, including parity, thermal stress, and animal housing systems. New farrowing systems are continuously being developed; however, it is difficult for producers to make decisions without any scientific basis.

Epitaxial Stabilization and Persistent Nucleation of the 3C Polymorph of BaSrMnO.

Ba-rich compositions in the BaSrMnO (BSMO) cubic perovskite (3C) system are magnetic ferroelectrics and are of interest for their strong magnetoelectric coupling. Beyond = 0.5, they only form in hexagonal polymorphs.

Determining the Presence and Size of Shoulder Lesions in Sows Using Computer Vision.

Shoulder sores predominantly arise in breeding sows and often result in untimely culling. Reported prevalence rates vary significantly, spanning between 5% and 50% depending upon the type of crate flooring inside a farm, the animal's body condition, or an existing injury that causes lameness. These lesions represent not only a welfare concern but also have an economic impact due to the labor needed for treatment and medication.