Evaluation of VIA-based weight monitoring systems
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Evaluation of a prototype hand-held VIA-based pig weight monitoring system (Hand-held pig weigher)
C. P. Schofield, Silsoe Livestock Systems Ltd
Stockman's Eye - download here
Stockman’s Eye is a dual purpose device. When clipped in position above a feeder or drinker and
left running it will automatically monitor pig visits and collect pig weights and growth rate information.
Alternatively it can be carried by the stockman and used to collect spot weights of individual pigs.
Background
MLC, Defra and commercial partners have funded development and trials of the VIA weighing system to monitor individual (identified) and pens of pigs. Published results demonstrate that VIA can:
- measure the weight (with errors under 5%) and growth rate of pigs,
- predict lean meat yield,
- provide data for feed management models designed to control growth rate and fat deposition.
Osborne (Europe) Ltd., a co-sponsor of this research, now offers commercial VIA pig weight and growth rate monitoring equipment for sale. Meetings and discussions with producers and processors were held in the summer of 2005 to establish why the industry is not taking up this new and exciting farm scale system. These confirmed that producers are interest in:
- a portable (hand-held) device that will enable operators to estimate the weight of individual pigs as they inspect them, offering the immediate benefit of improved accuracy in selection for slaughter.
- pen-mountable camera equipment, preferably using wireless technology to make the camera units readily portable between pens.
- the potential for predicting carcass quality and processed value from VIA measurements of live pig shape. This includes the possibility of relating VIA measurements to those from AutoFom.
Page last updated 08 June 2010