Use of a Proximity Index to evaluate the influence of environmental conditions in the growing-finishing pigs’ resting behaviour

Abstract

This study was realized in the frame of the BIOma Project. The main goal was to create and develop an innovative precision livestock farming tool to support and reinforce the pig value chain. The environmental conditions have a great impact in animals’ welfare. Animal welfare can be measured through some behavioural, physiological, productive and health indicators. In order to evaluate the impact of the environmental conditions in the growing-finishing pigs’ resting behaviour, three experiments, each with 8 fe males Piétrain x TN60, were carried out in an environmental controlled room where the air temperature (T) and relative humidity (RH) were permanently monitored. A Proxim ity Index (P.I) to evaluate the level of the animal’s dispersion in the pen, was developed based on artificial vision algorithm. This was possible thanks to the analysis of the im ages recorded by video cameras strategically placed in the room. The P.I was represent ed on a scale of 0 to 1, where “0” corresponds to the maximum dispersion between the animals and “1” corresponds to the maximum proximity. The P.I presented differences between all experiments, being higher in cold conditions and lower in hot conditions. These results highlighted the influence of the environmental conditions on the resting behaviour of pigs. This work is funded by National Funds through FCT - Foundation for Science and Technology under the Project UIDB/05183/2020.